Joe Manganiello Came Very Close To Playing Superman In Man Of Steel

Last year, the comic book fandom threw a rather large party when they learned Joe Manganiello had been asked to join the DC Extended Universe. After test footage of Deathstroke surfaced online, news broke that the actor had been cast in The Batman. However, recent shake-ups with the film have led people to fear the actor may get scrubbed from the flick. Between rewrites and such, there is a chance Deathstroke may be pushed out of The Batman and the DCEU as a whole.

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Really, it wouldn’t be surprising to learn if Manganiello was not cursing the day he was made to turn down Superman. According to the actor, he was very close to securing the role, but higher powers-at-be made it impossible for Manganiello to suit up as the Kryptonian hero.

In the past, fans had heard reports that the star was in the running to play Superman before the role went to Henry Cavill. However, no one knew how close Manganiello had actually come to cinching the role. In a recent interview with MTV, the actor opened up about the ordeal, and Manganiello got far enough that Warner Bros. was ready to make him his own costume.

“I met with Zack. I had an hour and a half long meeting with Zack which is what was causing all the trouble,” Manganiello said, nodding to his time spent with the film’s director.

The star went on to say he met with casting and all of the producers for Man of Steel. “I met everybody – everybody involved,” he explained. However, the actor’s near-grab at Superman unraveled when Warner Bros. called HBO’s costuming department to get measurements for Manganiello’s own heroic costume.

According to the star, HBO was unwilling to give him the time off to film such a large project. Manganiello was under contract with the studio for True Blood, and not even the star’s agent could get the network to budge. Pleas to higher-ups at Time Warner went bust, and Manganiello was left to walk away from the opportunity.

Obviously, Manganiello was taken back by the sudden pushback. The star admitted he was disappointed the gig fell through. “I’m a sensitive guy,” the actor said. “I was rocked by the whole thing.”

If you’re wondering if the actor has seen Man of Steel yet, then rest assured. It may have taken some time, but Manganiello was finally able to bring himself to watch the movie a few years later. The star confessed he watched the movie slightly drugged after a painful surgery.

Hopefully, there will be no disappointment awaiting Manganiello when it comes to The Batman. The fans have stressed the star is their perfect candidate to play Slade Wilson on the big screen, and the Internet would no doubt riot if he were to be removed now.

In Justice League, fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

Justice League is directed by Zack Snyder, from a screenplay by Chris Terrio, and features an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck (Batman), Henry Cavill (Superman), Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Ezra Miller (The Flash), Jason Momoa (Aquaman), Ray Fisher (Cyborg), Ciarán Hinds (Steppenwolf), Amy Adams (Lois Lane), Diane Lane (Martha Kent), Jeremy Irons (Alfred Pennyworth), J.K. Simmons (Commissioner Gordon), Amber Heard (Mera), Kiersey Clemons (Iris West) and Jesse Eisenberg (Lex Luthor).