Did Gareth Evans Already Reveal His Comic Inspiration For ‘Deathstroke’?

DC fans are currently buzzing about the news that a Deathstroke solo film could be on the way. And apparently, its director has already been doing research for the project.

Gareth Evans, who is best known for his work on the martial arts franchise The Raid, recently shared a photo of the Deathstroke trade paperback Gods of War on his Instagram. You can check it out below.

Evans actually shared the photo several days before the Deathstroke news was officially announced, discreetly providing the very first hint that he would be tied to the project.

DC sharing their source material with those tied to their films is certainly nothing new, with Slade Wilson/Deathstroke himself, Joe Manganiello, sharing a similar photo soon after his casting. But the fact that Evans posted the photo so early got us wondering – could Gods of War be an inspiration for his Deathstroke film?

Gods of War collects the first six issues of Tony S. Daniel and Sandu Florea’s Deathstroke run, which was released from 2014 to 2016. The series finds Slade on a hunt for revenge, after he loses everything and is presumed dead by the world. His crusade causes him to cross paths with (spoiler alert) his father, Odysseus.

Given Evans’ past filmography, this sort of revenge-fueled Deathstroke story certainly seems like a good fit for him to bring to screen. The fact that the story follows Slade essentially building a new life for himself also seems helpful as well, as it would provide a natural way to introduce the lore of Deathstroke to general audiences.

And, if Gods of War were to be adapted to film, it’d have the potential to turn into a pretty awesome DCEU-spanning venture. The comic arc includes appearances from Batman, Harley Quinn, and Amanda Waller – all roles that their DCEU counterparts could easily reprise, without taking away from it being Slade’s story.

Granted, it’s way too early to tell what direction Evans will take with his Deathstroke film. Either way, the photo is sure to excite fans of Slade Wilson.