Could the Teen Titans Be in ‘Deathstroke’?

The DC Extended Universe might be undergoing some changes right now, but it still has a plethora of projects that could be made in the next few years.

Following the positive response to a certain post-credits cameo in Justice League, one of the films that fans have been clamoring for is the Deathstroke solo film. The project was first announced in October of this year, with The Raid’s Gareth Evans directing and Joe Manganiello starring.

Granted, the film might not be on DC Films’ most recent slate, but there are still a lot of potentials surrounding the project. As we’ve debated, there are quite a few ways that other DC Comics characters could factor into the film, without taking away from Slade Wilson’s main story. Which made us wonder… could the Teen Titans have a role in Deathstroke?

What story would it be?

If the Teen Titans were to appear in Deathstroke, it would entirely depend on what story the film wants to tell.

As DC Comics fans know, Slade is pretty regularly tied to the Titans mythos, serving as both an ally and adversary for the group. If they’re wanting to tell a story involving Slade as an established antihero, this leaves the door open quite a bit.

But if the film is set to serve as a sort of retroactive origin story for Slade, something the DCEU seems to be excelling at, considering the response to Wonder Woman and Aquaman, then it would likely end up being some sort of adaptation of “The Judas Contract”.

“The Judas Contract” sees Slade tasked with breaking the Titans apart with the help of a spy, Terra. Along the way, Slade uncovers some major revelations about his son, Joe Wilson/Jericho.

There’s already precedent for “The Judas Contract” working as a movie as successful animated film about it debuted last year, so it doesn’t make it impossible to see in live action.

How big of a cameo would it be?

So assuming that Deathstroke gives fans some version of Slade’s Titans affiliation, how much would that factor into the film?

As we said, “The Judas Contract” could very easily work as the plot of Slade’s film. But even if it isn’t the entire storyline, which seems more plausible considering Slade’s current position of helping form the DCEU Legion of Doom, it still could come into the fold in one way or another.

Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad have some sort of precedent for this, throwing in hints to the “Death in the Family” storyline being canon without mentioning it up front. This would mean that even if the Titans aren’t involved in the crux of the movie, they could still get some sort of name drop or post-credits cameo — something that would be enough to get fans excited.

Which members would cameo?

Even if Deathstroke weren’t to factor in “The Judas Contract”, it wouldn’t be too hard to imagine at least one member of the Titans having some sort of role in the film.

As we mentioned, Slade’s children Jericho and Rose Wilson/Ravager have pretty strong ties to the Titans. A cameo from them, whether in a supporting role or just a series of old family photos, feels almost expected no matter what story Deathstroke tells.

But aside from them, it wouldn’t be impossible for some of the Titans that aren’t related to Slade to make their way into the film. As we’ve mentioned, “The Judas Contract” follows the (arguably controversial) dynamic between Slade and Terra, making some sort of nod to her possible.

And in a way, Slade serves as a pretty strong antagonist for Dick Grayson/Nightwing, a character who is set to get his own solo adventure as well. A cameo from Nightwing would not only hint at the pair’s dynamic, but it would give general audiences enough setup for the Nightwing film similarly to how Deathstroke was introduced in Justice League.

Would it even happen?

But now that we’ve considered some of the ways that the Titans could factor into Deathstroke, we have to ask — could it even happen?

At this point, the Nightwing movie is the biggest other indication of Titans-related stories coming into the DCEU. For the most part, the bulk of Titans storyline seems to be taking part on the small screen, in next year’s Titans streaming series. This has led some to believe that a full-fledged version of the Titans won’t be seen in the DCEU anytime soon.

Sure, those small cameos and nods in Deathstroke will probably still happen, and be enough for those that are hoping for the Titans to exist in the DCEU. But in terms of whether there could be a larger role for the group, fans will just have to wait and see.

Justice League is now in theaters; Aquaman arrives on December 21, 2018; Shazam! on April 5, 2019; Wonder Woman 2 on November 1st, 2019; Cyborg on April 3, 2020; and Green Lantern Corps on July 24, 2020.