Joe Manganiello Says He's Started Katana Training For Deathstroke Role In Ben Affleck's BATMAN Movie

Joe Manganiello Says He's Started Katana Training For Deathstroke Role In Ben Affleck's BATMAN Movie

As rumors continue to swirl around Warner Bros. and Ben Affleck's production of a standalone Batman movie in the DCEU, Joe Manganiello is pressing on with his preparation for playing Slade Wilson.

By MarkJulian - Feb 10, 2017 02:02 AM EST
Filed Under: The Batman
Source: Dragon Talk podcast via reddit
While speculation continues on whether Deathstroke is still appearing as the main antagonist in Ben Affleck and Warner Bros. Batman movie, Joe Manganiello has revealed that he's preparing for the role despite the project being on shaky ground.  Appearing on the Dragon Talk podcast, the former True Blood and Magic Mike actor revealed that he's read every single Deathstroke comic and started sword training.

"I’m somebody that likes to start preparing way ahead of time. So I’ve read almost all the comic books involving him. Just to get the information out of them. Some of them are useful. Some of them are not going to be useful. Because ultimately the script—that’s my text. I have to play that.

I started katana training recently. Like live sword training and I started meeting with various martial arts teachers and discussing with them. 'Ok, so what are the most offensive styles of martial arts'. Ones where you’re not waiting for someone to attack you but ones where you’re looking to make the attack. Then what are the most deadly ones? Where are the scrolls, the ancient Japanese scrolls that have these really deadly techniques that you don’t teach to the average student out the street? Something that only somebody who would go looking for it that are really really bad, you know, are dangerous. Like, what are those?

'Ok, so now what are the stances?' What are like some really unorthodox stances that someone who learns say Ninjutsu would stand in? Ok, so now what if that person lost an eye? If that person lost an eye how would they then alter the stance so that you would have better peripheral vision. What would that look like? So then you start cooking, and then you start building a story. Kind of outside-in. That’s like a very physical way to build a story.

Then on the other side of it, like I said, I’m looking at the script rather than the comic books. I mean the comic books are giving me a good general kind of area of what we’re talking about. Where this characters located. But the script is really like, you know. Because they might change the canon. There’s been like 3 or 4 different ways that he’s lost his eye. Are we doing one of those? Or are we doing it a completely new way? Like, I need to play that."

Based on Manganiello's comments it would seem as if Deathstroke is not appearing in Zack Snyder's Justice League if he's only started preparing for the role recently.  That said, it's pretty impressive that Manganiello is giving the role deep thought and really attempting to bring an authentic and intimidating Slade Wilson to life.  Of course, Forbes recently reported that the Batman movie is in disarray and looking at a potential page one rewrite once a new director is selected.  On the other hand, a Variety film reporter has now stated that a script has been finalized and WB and Affleck only need to hire someone to direct.
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Gjedi
Gjedi - 2/10/2017, 2:58 AM
Good News.. :)
Jecharius
Jecharius - 2/10/2017, 6:05 AM
@Gjedi - I'm still only expecting good news.
Zero of these articles (including the one from forbes) are based in fact. They could be true, but I highly doubt it. If we take Affleck at his word that he wants the Batman movie to be the absolute best that it can be, then stepping down from directing makes sense if it's too strenuous to be Batman and direct the movie. The guy that was brought in for the script is the same guy that Affleck brought in to clean up Dawn of Justice's finished script to make it more cohesive. Until I see a definitive reason to panic, I'll just brush the rest off.

Bonus: The ENTIRE reason people think Wonder Woman is a mess is because somebody (with absolutely no confirmation of their identity or insider facts to verify their identity) wrote a letter essentially saying, "I worked there and Wonder Woman is a mess." Because of DoJ and SS the public will just continue to believe the worst about these movies.
Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 2/10/2017, 3:05 AM
Everytime i see Joe i think..."if i was a girl..."
Damn you Manganiello, sei troppo figo bro!
Ryuzaki
Ryuzaki - 2/10/2017, 4:34 AM
@Doomsday8888 - So I'm not the only italian here. Bella!
Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 2/10/2017, 5:08 AM
@Ryuzaki - A fellow italian...there's still hope! :')
Beeeeeellaaaaaa!
Spider2YBanana
Spider2YBanana - 2/10/2017, 7:45 AM
@Doomsday8888 - I never realized how diverse cbm is. Good stuff
Scarilian
Scarilian - 2/10/2017, 3:08 AM
For someone claiming to have read every Deathstroke comment, he seems unsure of what he is doing for the movie and anything relating to the character other than the idea of sword fighting and the loss of an eye - he's questioning everything. He's learning all this physical stuff for fights that may not even happen and probably should be taught to him by a stunt coordinator or fight expert on the set.

Him knowing this techniques is not necessary for the role and arguably if they are as dangerous as mentioned, it would be stupid to use these during filming (IF that happens) given he's training to harm, injure, etc... If you train over and over to do a move that makes contact then trying to do that on film without making contact is more difficult as you need to emphasise the move more so its clear what you are doing during the fight.
MarkJulian
MarkJulian - 2/10/2017, 3:24 AM
@Scarilian - Some actors prepare this way to give themselves confidence once they get on the set as in their mind, they're more believable in the role. Olivia Munn did a ton of sword training for X-Men: Apocalypse and Keanu Reeves did a bunch of gun courses for John Wick.
Luminus
Luminus - 2/10/2017, 3:27 AM
@MarkJulian - Olivia Munn WASTED A LOT OF TIME training for X-Men: Apocalypse...

There, fixed.
MarkJulian
MarkJulian - 2/10/2017, 3:29 AM
@Luminus - Ha!
Scarilian
Scarilian - 2/10/2017, 4:06 AM
Olivia Munn is actually a great example, her role was not as large as expected and the fights were reduced. Her time spent training may have been helpful to get in the mindset, but mindset means nothing if the script is not good.

At the moment there is no script for the batman movie, otherwise Joe would have been more assured of his responses when asked about his character. Deathstroke, as such, could very well end up being the same.
Luminus
Luminus - 2/10/2017, 4:32 AM
@Scarilian - Olivia Munn is literally the only person on the planet who thought her role was going to be large.
Scarilian
Scarilian - 2/10/2017, 5:35 AM
@Luminus -

How about another example, Jared Leto?
BloodyBed
BloodyBed - 2/10/2017, 5:56 AM
@Scarilian - I disagree completely. These are action movies, the leafs ability to fight always improves the movie. Not everyone is his biggest fan, but tom cruise's whole selling point is that he does all of his own stunts and it's brilliant. Archer characters need to learn how to use a bow, martial artists better know their shit, the UFC generation will call out shitty fighting, and joe needs to learn how to use a katana just as much as he needs to learn who spade is.



Look at john wick. Those movies wouldn't work with anyone but Keanu, he is actually well versed in the art of gunplay. That (and the awkwardly menacing way he talks) is what makes those movies amazing

Jesus Christ I can't wait to see that tonight.

BloodyBed
BloodyBed - 2/10/2017, 5:57 AM
Lead* lol
BloodyBed
BloodyBed - 2/10/2017, 5:58 AM
Slade*


Ffs people are going to think I'm talking about gardening.
BarryShitPeas
BarryShitPeas - 2/10/2017, 6:47 AM
@ALostCause -

I gotta wait a week for my Wick orgasm appointment.
Scarilian
Scarilian - 2/10/2017, 6:50 AM
@ALostCause - I think we need to clarify a few things, firstly, Deathstroke is not the lead character or anywhere near a main character. As far as we are aware he is 'a villain' of an original rumored script that was going to include most of the arkham rogue gallery. From concept art for Justice League he appears to be a henchmen for Lex Luthor or another villain.

We also need to remind ourselves, that the movie has not got a script yet. Meaning, at best, that its going to be released in late 2019. Now, training for the role is understandable, but not sword training when we're unclear whether that will play a role in the movie.

His use of a katana not really needed, given the most popular portrayal of Batman fighting Deathstroke, Batman breaks or disarms him immediately resulting in a confrontation via fists and speed.

In essence, you've hyped over John Wick instead of focusing on what role Deathstroke will actually play in the film.
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