Joe Manganiello on canceled Batman film and lost Deathstroke role
Joe Manganiello says Ben Affleck’s canceled Batman film ended his planned Deathstroke role, and recalls recovering from an autoimmune disease.
Manganiello also linked that period to his health. He said he was dealing with an autoimmune disease at the time and that his weight dropped from 235 to 176 pounds.
The actor added that the prospect of playing Deathstroke motivated him to keep pushing through his recovery. In the source, that role is tied directly to Affleck’s version of the Batman film, not to a separate Deathstroke movie.
What happened
In an interview, Joe Manganiello looked back on the canceled Batman film that Ben Affleck was initially set to write and direct. According to Manganiello, he was meant to play Deathstroke, the main villain of that standalone film. The source describes the project as ambitious and says later reporting suggested it was meant to bring together 80 years of Batman mythology.
Affleck later stepped back as director, and the project was eventually shelved. That also removed Manganiello’s planned role, which the source says was closely tied to this specific version of the Batman film. The reporting says his Deathstroke appearance was effectively derailed when the movie disappeared from development.
Manganiello also said he was recovering from an autoimmune disease during that same period. He mentioned losing weight from 235 to 176 pounds and said the idea of playing Deathstroke motivated him to keep working on his recovery. In the provided source, this is presented as his own recollection, without independent medical confirmation.
The source also connects his comments to the emotional impact of losing the project. Manganiello described the cancellation as devastating and said he no longer had something to fight for in that role. That fits the broader arc of the project: Affleck was first attached as writer and director, but later stepped away as director before the film was ultimately scrapped.
Timeline
2010s: Ben Affleck is attached to a Batman film as writer and director, with Joe Manganiello cast as Deathstroke.
During development: The film is described in reporting as an ambitious project meant to bring together 80 years of Batman mythology.
Later in development: Affleck steps back as director and the project fades further from view.
After that: The Batman film is canceled, ending Manganiello’s planned role as the main antagonist.
During the same period: Manganiello says he was recovering from an autoimmune disease and that his weight dropped from 235 to 176 pounds.
2023: Manganiello discusses the impact of the film’s cancellation and his recovery period in an interview.
2026-10-14: The source publication appears with new context on Manganiello’s comments about Deathstroke and the canceled film.
Background
Deathstroke is a DC villain who would have served as the central antagonist in this version of the Batman film. The reporting ties Manganiello’s casting directly to Ben Affleck’s standalone Batman project, not to a separate Deathstroke movie. That distinction matters, because the source makes clear his role depended on this specific film version.
Ben Affleck was initially attached as writer and director of the project. He later stepped back as director, after which the film did not move forward. The provided information does not mention a release date, but it does make clear the production never became a finished movie.
The medical details come from Manganiello’s own recollection in the interview. He mentioned an autoimmune disease and a weight loss from 235 to 176 pounds. The source does not include independent confirmation of that diagnosis or the weight change, so those details should be treated as self-reported.
The source also includes a YouTube video with Josh Horowitz for additional context. In the video description, Manganiello says he keeps the Deathstroke mask in his office and that the role was the greatest achievement of his life. That description underlines how important the role remained to him after the film was canceled.
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Sources
- IGN: Deathstroke Star Joe Manganiello Speaks Out About Ben Affleck's Canceled Batman Movie
- YouTube video with Josh Horowitz, whose description quotes Manganiello about the Deathstroke mask in his office and returning after health issues