Manu Bennett Responds To Joe Manganiello Playing Deathstroke

After Joe Manganiello was confirmed to play Deathstroke in the DC Extended Universe, it seemed like the whole world reacted to the news – except for Manu Bennett, that is. The actor is known for playing the DC Comics mercenary on Arrow, and fans wondered how Manu felt about Joe’s on-screen future. Finally, the actor has responded to the casting decision, and it is not what many were expecting.

Taking to Twitter, Manu responded to a tweet with the message, “Ok if Joe is playing Deathstroke I’m gonna Magic Mike.”

If you’re confused by the message, no worries. The Magic Mike reference makes sense when you look into Manu’s history. The actor posted his Deathstroke reaction in response to a fan’s tweet that included a GIF of Manu seductively dancing at a comic con panel. Clearly, Joe saw the one-off post and decided he’d make his career ‘magical’ since Joe nabbed the role of Deathstroke.

Of course, fans seem to be all for Manu joining Magic Mike as the actor’s social media mentions are being spammed with gratuitous shirtless photos of the buff actor. And, occasionally, there’s a rogue tweet thanking the fan-favorite actor for supporting Joe and his take on Deathstroke.

While Manu does hold a soft spot for the DC Comics baddie, the actor has vocally criticized the how Arrow handled the violent villain. “I think Deathstroke had a lot of possibilities with Arrow but, I think they took it in the wrong direction,” he’s admitted.

“I think they should have honoured the Marv Wolfman character who was literally unstoppable. I read the DC comic books and thought Deathstroke was so bad arse because they make it that nobody can stop him. He’s not even super-powered, he is just a mercenary,” Manu explained. “It took the Justice League to defeat him; it took an army to take him on. In Arrow, it took a while for Oliver [Queen/Arrow] to prove his point, but [season three] was just a beating of Slade, adding insult to injury.

As for whether Manu will reprise his role of Deathstroke on Arrow next season is uncertain. During a recent panel, Stephen Amell (Oliver Queen) said the character’s inclusion in the DC Extended Universe did not mean Manu couldn’t keep his role. He stressed that “just because there may or may not be a Deathstroke in the DC Extended Universe doesn’t mean Manu Bennett can’t exist on our show.”

If you are wondering just how Deathstroke will fit into Ben Affleck’s Batman film, then you can check out our article detailing how the villain can be used right in the DCEU.

The Batman solo feature isn’t expected before 2018. However, Warner Bros. will assemble the Justice League and hit theaters on November 16th, 2017.

[H/T] Twitter