Now in its second season, Titans has gradually built a reputation as one of the stronger DC television adaptations of recent years, and will likely survive any future changes to DC Universe and the possible transfer of shows to HBO Max. Not only that, but our sources – the same ones who gave us the scoop on that Green Lantern series before it was announced – are now telling us that Titans will be getting a Deathstroke spinoff, focusing on Esai Morales’ version of the character. Although it hasn’t been officially greenlit, the show is in early development and, from what we’ve heard, very likely to go ahead.
Morales’ Deathstroke, otherwise known as Slade Wilson, has been the chief antagonist of Titans‘ second season, with recent episodes fleshing out the assassin’s past conflict with Dick Grayson’s team. Furthermore, we’ve seen Wilson’s children Jericho and Rose, and in the most recent episode, a fuller backstory for their family dynamic. Depending on where Titans‘ second season ends up, the spinoff news at least implies that Wilson will survive any future conflict with the titular group.
Deathstroke is a mainstay of DC’s animated universe, appearing in multiple shows including, to name a few, Teen Titans, Young Justice and Beware the Batman. We already know that the CW are going ahead with Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons as an animated series for their CW Seed platform, with the character voiced by Michael Chiklis. Of course, a live-action Wilson has also appeared in everything from Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman to Smallville, and has been a key part of the Arrowverse. In Arrow, Wilson has most notably been played by Manu Bennett, while the Deathstroke persona has been adopted by multiple characters.
A new live-action spinoff doesn’t necessarily mean that the DCEU movie Deathstroke is on hold, although Joe Manganiello will almost certainly be recast. DC and Warner Bros. are very much in the Deathstroke business, though, and as well as a Titans spinoff, the character could appear in everything from a live action Teen Titans movie to The Suicide Squad.
We’ll be sure to bring you the latest news on this new spinoff as we get it, but for now, it seems clear that Deathstroke is a big part of DC’s future projects.