First Look at CW Seed’s Michael Chiklis-Led Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons

CW Seed, The CW’s free, ad-supported digital network, has released a blood-soaked first look at Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons, a 12-episode original series set to debut in the first quarter of 2020. In addition to the scene, which you can see above, CW Seed announced the series’ voice cast, which includes Gotham and Fantastic Four actor Michael Chiklis as Slade Wilson. The series pits Slade against HIVE, and while both Slade and HIVE have been key players on Arrow, the casting of Chiklis should key you in that this is not set in the Arrowverse (where Deathstroke is played by Manu Bennett).

The series, which hails from Constantine: City of Demons writer J.M. DeMatteis and Niko and the Sword of Light director Sung Jin Ahn, appears to be about the most NSFW that The CW has ever gone with their animation — which is saying something considering the Constantine stuff. It is not, though, without DeMatteis’s trademark humor, which can be seen in a couple of spots in the scene. You can check out the full cast and an official description of the series below.

Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons stars Primetime Emmy Award winner Michael Chiklis (The Shield, Gotham) as the titular voice of Slade/Deathstroke, Sasha Alexander (Dawson’s Creek, Rizzoli & Isles) as Addie, Chris Jai Alex (Thundercats Roar) as Jackal and Faye Mata (“Lego Friends: Girls On A Mission”) as Rose, Griffin Puatu as Jericho, Asher Bishop as Young Joseph, Colin Salmon as Wintergreen, Delbert Hunt as Tiger, Panta Mosleh as Lady Shiva, Imari Williams as President/Hive Pilot, Minae Noji as Secretary of State, Noshir Dalal as Kapoor and Castulo Guerra as General Suarez.

Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons follows in the tradition of CW Seed’s animated series Vixen and Freedom Fighters: The Ray. Ten years ago, Slade Wilson — aka the super-assassin called Deathstroke — made a tragic mistake and his wife and son paid a terrible price. Now, a decade later, Wilson’s family is threatened once again by the murderous Jackal and the terrorists of H.IV.E. Can Deathstroke atone for the sins of the past — or will his family pay the ultimate price?

Written by J.M. DeMatteis (CW Seed’s Constantine: City of Demons) and directed by Sung Jin Ahn (Niko and the Sword of Light), Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons is an animated DC series from Blue Ribbon Content and executive produced by Sam Register (DC Super Hero Girls, Mike Tyson Mysteries), and the Arrowverse’s Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter.