Justice League's Joe Manganiello Reveals Ben Affleck's Batman Movie Would've Featured Batgirl vs Deathstroke

Now that Zack Snyder's Justice League is out, a lot DC fans are wondering what could've been. Warner Bros. has made it clear that the Snyder Cut is the end of Zack Snyder's chapter of the DC Films Universe - and right now, that seems to include all the projects that Justice League was meant to set up. One of the bigger spinoffs that were supposed to happen was Ben Affleck's Batman solo movie, which would've pitted The Dark Knight against Joe Manganiello's Deathstroke. Snyder included Justice League's original post-credits scene in his cut, which set up Batman v Deathstroke by having Slade Wilson learn from Lex Luthor that Bruce Wayne is Batman.

While appearing on Comicbook.com's ComicBook Nation podcast, Joe Manganiello shared details of what he and Ben Affleck had in the works for their Batman movie. some of the details Manganiello shared we've heard before (Deathstroke hunting Batman, wreaking havoc in his personal life as well as his superhero life. However, there was one detail Manganiello dropped that was new: Ben Affleck's Batman movie would see Batgirl step into the picture and go toe-to-toe with Deathstroke in the climactic fight!

As Joe Manganiello told ComicBook Nation:

"There was like a big huge showdown. I think... Batgirl jumps in to try to help Bruce because Deathstroke is so fast that he can anticipate Bruce's movements. And there was this huge fight in Gotham City where Batman is like, you know, completely afraid because he realizes he's met someone who can take him. And that leads to this big climactic battle through the streets of Gotham City at the end."

As you may imagine, DC fans heard that tidbit and are feeling some kind of way about it. Zack Snyder's Justice League has, without a doubt, rekindled fans' interest in Ben Affleck's Batman going up against Manganiello's Deathstroke. At the same time, Warner Bros. has made it clear that Snyder's vision for the DC Universe is done after Justice League. Now that we're getting these sorts of details about what could've been there a lot of fans that feel like Warner Bros. truly robbed them of the sort of an entire franchise universe they wanted to see. Having Batgirl saves Batman by facing Deathstroke would've been a badass debut right up there with Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman debut in Batman v Superman.

When it comes to Batman, redemption is easy: Warner Bros. has already hooked fans with Matt Reeves' The Batman, which has offered an exciting alternative to the Snyderverse. A new Batgirl movie is still apparently on track, as well. However, Joe Manganiello's Deathstroke is still waiting in limbo for what comes next for his character - and a lot of fans want the studio to figure it out sooner, before later.

Zack Snyder's Justice Lague is now streaming on HBO Max.