The upcomingBaneandDeathstrokemovie has the potential to be more than just a surprising team-up between the Batman villains, andI’m convinced the DC movie will be revealed to serve as the replacement for the Suicide Squadon the big screen. With James Gunn and Peter Safran at DC Studios, the company is looking at the next decade of DC releases, which includes movies, series, animation, video games, and more. I’m excited about this new era of content, which will feature theannounced DC Universe projects, more surprise entries in theDCU, Elseworlds movies and shows, and more.
One of the most exciting projects said to be happening at DC is the recently reportedBane and Deathstroke movie. The latest actor to playBane in a live-action moviewas Tom Hardy in 2012’sThe Dark Knight Rises, while the latest movie version of Deathstroke was Joe Manganiello’s in 2017’sJustice Leagueand later in director Zack Snyder’s version of the film. I was quite surprised by the announcement of a Bane and Deathstroke movie, asthe characters have very little in common other than being Batman villains, but I’m convinced that there is more to the film.
Bane And Deathstroke Might Not Be The Focus Of Their Movie
The Hollywood Reportershared a bombshell reveal, reporting that a Bane and Deathstroke movie is in early development at DC. According to the trade, the film’s script is being penned by Matthew Orton, who is one of the writers on Marvel Studios' upcomingCaptain America: Brave New World. After the news broke,Deadlinereported additional details, shedding some light on the shocking move. According to the outlet,it is still unclear if Bane and Deathstroke will be the actual leads of the DC movieor if they are simply going to be part of it.
Recasting Deathstroke For The DC Universe: 8 Actors Who Could Replace Joe Manganiello
The DC Universe will see some new actors as old characters, and Deathstroke is a role that will likely be recast, with a few great choices available.
I think that detail is quite important, as the two characters are not normally known for being leading figures. Sure, I can seethe potential that Bane and Deathstroke have as the main antagonists of major DC entries, be it a Batman movie like Bane has in the past, or theDCU’s reported Teen Titans film, given Slade Wilson’s ties to the team in the comics. However, putting these two villains together as the leads of a movie just doesn’t make all that much sense to me unless they are part of a team, which I think is happening here.
Secret Six DC Comics History Explained
The Supervillain Team Has An Interesting Setup
Based on the possibility mentioned byDeadline, it makes more sense to me that Bane and Deathstroke would play big roles in a team movie than lead a joint film, and the Batman villains could be great members of a live-action Secret Six adaptation. DC Comics has many teams featuring darker characters, and the Secret Six happens to be one of them. Instead of being put together by Amanda Waller like the Suicide Squad and the DCU’s Creature Commandos,the Secret Six is always controlled by Mockingbird, a mysterious figure that rules the team and whose identity is a secret.
Deathstroke’s involvement with the team has been very limited, as he has never been a member of the Secret Six.
There have been different iterations of the team over the years, all including six members. Deathstroke’s involvement with the team has been very limited, as he has never been a member of the Secret Six. Instead, Slade Wilson shoots Cheshire, who was on the Secret Six, due to her betraying her team to Deathstroke’s Secret Society of Super Villains, asSlade is no fan of those playing double agents. While that could be part of the possible Secret Six movie, the fact that the project was reported with Deathstroke and Bane makes me believe Slade would be on the team.
Harley Quinn was briefly in the Secret Six in the comics, and DC could change that into a bigger role to give Margot Robbie’s Harley another team if the Suicide Squad does not come back.
On the other hand, Bane’s presence in the film makes me more confident that the project could turn out to be a live-action Secret Six movie. The reason for that isthe Batman villain is part of the most famous version of the team in DC Comics. Banes’s Secret Six also included members like Catman, Deadshot, Scandal, Rag Doll, and Jeanette. Bane would eventually get to lead the team, leading the Secret Six on a mission to kill members of the Bat-Family, failing and being sent to prison. Bane’s connection to the team is good for the Secret Six’s chances.
DC Might Be Moving On From The Villain Team
One of the main reasons I believe that DC’s Bane and Deathstroke movie could turn out to be a Secret Six project is due to the current state of the Suicide Squad in live-action. The supervillain team had a solid first movie at the box office, but2016’sSuicide Squadreceived overwhelmingly negative reviews, which I agree with, as the movie was rather dull. Then came James Gunn’sThe Suicide Squad, which was the opposite of the original film. The soft reboot presented a vibrant, action-packed, hilarious, and emotional adventure, but it bombed at the box office.
DespiteThe Suicide Squad’s box office having been impacted by a simultaneous release in Max and theaters, DC seems to not want to try to continue the franchise after its first two films faced different kinds of issues. On theInside of You with Michael Rosenbaumpodcast,The Suicide Squaddirector and DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn revealed that there are no plans to move forward withSuicide Squad 3. Whenasked whether there were any plans for making the threequel, Gunn simply said, “No.“With the Suicide Squad out of the way, the Secret Six could take its place.
I Think That A Secret Six Movie Would Perfectly Fit The New DC Universe
The Bane And Deathstroke Movie Is Still Shrouded In Mystery
DC has yet to officially confirm that the Deathstroke and Bane movie is in the works. So far,it has not been revealed whether the film will be part of James Gunn’s DC Universe,The Batman’s universe, since it features two of the Dark Knight’s villains, or another Elseworlds franchise. Of all the possible alternatives, I think the one that would work the most for Bane and Deathstroke’s live-action return, if the movie is truly a Secret Six film in disguise, has to be the DCU. There are two main reasons for that.
With no plans for the Suicide Squad to return, the DCU is already setting up a replacement for the team. Amanda Waller will recruit a team of monsters to replace the Suicide Squad. The Secret Six could be the alternative to the old team where supervillains are concerned, with the Creature Commandos being used for supernatural-related stories. The DCU is also packing multiple characters in many projects, such as Gunn’sSuperman, Batman’sThe Brave and the Boldmovie, and more for worldbuilding. A Secret Six movie that introducesBane,Deathstroke, and more to the DCU would fit the trend.
DC Universe
The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
