Entertainment
Joe Manganiello Says Ben Affleck’s Scrapped Batman Film Would Have Seen Deathstroke ‘Dismantle Batman’s Entire Life’ and Kill Commissioner Gordon
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Published 10/18/2026 3:12:37 PM
Joe Manganiello Reveals Plot of Ben Affleck's Scrapped Batman Film
Joe Manganiello, who was set to reprise the role of Deathstroke in Ben Affleck’s scrapped Batman film, is telling all about what would have happened had the superhero film made it to theaters.
In his new memoir “Bloodlines,” published on Tuesday, the actor wrote that Affleck, who was attached as the writer, director, producer and star, planned to make the film “a superhero version of David Fincher’s ‘The Game’” in which Deathstroke would “dismantle Batman’s entire life” after being made to think the Caped Crusader killed his son (via EW).
Manganiello, who first played Deathstroke, a DC supervillain, briefly in 2017’s “Justice League,” wrote that murdering Commissioner Gordon, holding Alfred Pennyworth hostage and breaking into the Batcave would all be a part of Deathstroke’s revenge plan, and that the film would have included a fight in which “Deathstroke would nearly kill both Batman and Batgirl before they would both escape via an aboveground train.”
According to the “Magic Mike” actor, the film would have concluded with a “climactic one-on-one showdown through the streets of Gotham.” “It sounded good to me,” Manganiello wrote. “I told Ben how great I thought his films were, especially ‘The Town,’ and how I was really looking forward to seeing his Best Picture version of a Batman movie.” He went on to explain that Affleck’s roles on set sounded like “a lot” for a single person, to which the “Argo” director responded: “Yeah, I know…But don’t worry, you’re in good hands. You’re in good hands, man.”
Ultimately, the film never came out. Recently, Ben Affleck appeared on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast and called the “Justice League” reshoots the “low point of my career.”
“The experience of ‘Justice League’ was so negative for lots of different reasons, some of which have to do with where I was at personally and some of which had to do with the tragedy that happened at that time,” Affleck said. “I saw how not to make a movie like that, which is where the studio is at odds with the filmmaker. You are really making a mistake. I was really glad and gratified that Zack got to release [his version via the Snyder Cut]. That was fucking great. I was really happy for him. That was shitty, him being taken off that movie and the reshoots that we did. If you want the low point of my career, it was that.”
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Mexico’s beloved Guillermo del Toro descended on the 24thMorelia Film Festival like the rockstar he is, greeted by hordes of shrieking fans that impressed even the most jaded in the crowd.
In town to present the much-anticipated 3D Re-Release of “Pan’s Labyrinth,” he was everywhere all at once, holding a masterclass where tickets were as elusive as a seat at Cannes that went on for nearly three hours and a free-wheeling press conference that extended past its time limit.
It was his third time at the fest, 20 years after his multi-Oscar winning “Pan’s Labyrinth’ first played there and years later with his 2018 best picture Academy Award winner “The Shape of Water.”
Before the presser kicked off, Del Toro, an Honorary Doctorate recipient from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), received the Filmoteca UNAM Medal, an honor also bestowed on Alfonso Cuarón, in town to support his son Jonas Cuarón’s opening night film, “Campeón Gabacho,” which he produced.
Alongside Del Toro were festival director Daniela Michel, “Pan’s Labyrinth” producer Bertha Navarro, his then young lead Ivana Baquero and DP Guillermo Navarro, who took home the cinematography Oscar for his stunning work on the anti-fascist fable.
Reflecting on a question posed midway through the press conference about what has stayed the same and what has changed over the 20 years since “Pan’s Labyrinth,” del Toro responded with tears.
“The state of our species and society today goes beyond anything we could have imagined back then. But I recognize the same sadness and despair. It pains me deeply to see one, two, or three generations fail the next. We’re handing down a world in ruins, morally, socially and spiritually fractured, with the very fabric that once allowed us to tell fables and parables falling apart.”
Asked whether he knew beforehand if “Pan’s Labyrinth” would be well received, Del Toro recounted how his collaborations with both Navarros sustained him through all the challenges they faced.
“We embarked on an adventure that was financially horrifying but cinematically beautiful,” he said.
“You never know how a film will be received. We only found out when we screened it for the first time at Cannes. We got that famous standing ovation that lasted more than 22 minutes, and from that moment on, everything changed. It changed our lives.”
“I think ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ marked a before and after for me. In terms of creative freedom, possibilities and everything else, I’m where I am today because of that film. But none of it would have been possible without the faith of my immediate family, Bertha and Guillermo.”
Said DP Navarro: “Guillermo and I share the belief that cinematic language is storytelling through images that convey emotion and narrative. ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ is the ultimate expression of that. The camera is constantly searching, discovering and communicating.”
“It was also an incredibly difficult shoot. We had a limited budget, had to find unconventional solutions and took risks that could easily have failed. But we gambled and we won. Without a doubt, it’s my best film, and I hold that experience close to my heart. I hope new generations will continue to discover and appreciate it. And now, 20 years later, it returns. Olé!”
Producer Navarro, who also backed Del Toro’s career-launching feature debut “Cronos” and his much-lauded “The Devil’s Backbone,” said: “When he gave me the screenplay for ‘Cronos,’ I was absolutely fascinated. Talent shines, and you have to know how to recognize that light. That’s what I saw in Guillermo.”
“It’s been an incredible privilege to have made those three great films with Guillermo. I’ve produced many films throughout my life, but those three hold a much deeper significance for me. They changed my life.”
Baquero concurred: “’Pan’s Labyrinth’ undoubtedly opened doors for me, both into the genre and in my career. We’ve talked this afternoon about how much the film changed our lives, professionally and personally. For me, acting went from being a hobby – I had worked before ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ – to becoming my profession. Without that film, I might not be here today. It unquestionably marked a turning point in my career.”
Reflecting on its impact on young audiences. Del Toro noted: “There’s an urgency and a fragility and ferocity that coexist in ‘Pan’s Labyrinth.’ And somehow, I think it’s an urgent moment to speak, for the film to speak to a new audience.”
Local politics also crept into the conference, with a journalist asking him what he would say to the young people protesting in his hometown of Guadalajara over its current issues of contaminated water, repression and the alleged kidnapping of protesters on Oct. 11.
He responded:“This morning at my masterclass, I gave young people the floor to speak about these issues. It’s terrifying that something so fundamental should have to be fought for instead of being resolved through basic humanity and responsible leadership.”
“I said it clearly: “Their voices must be heard, and I stand with them 100%. It’s unacceptable that this remains unresolved or that anyone would try to silence them. Speaking out, protesting, and demanding a solution are fundamental rights – anytime, anywhere.”
The Morelia Film Festival began on Oct. 16 and wraps Oct. 25.
