The Arrow-verse has managed to establish a number of fan-favorite characters since Arrowˆs 2012 debut, but few can compete with Slade Wilson. Manu Bennett's Deathstroke is nothing less than a powerhouse in his action scenes, and his gray (at best) sense of morality has allowed him to effortlessly oscillate between hero, anti-hero, and villain. Bennett and his fanbase recently started a quasi-campaign to get Slade a spin-off of his own, and now they've enlisted the help of a very notable DC insider: Deathstroke creator Marv Wolfman. Here are Wolfman's thoughts on the possibility of a standalone project for the character.
Getting the blessing of a character's creator does not necessarily guarantee that a spin-off will materialize, but its case is obviously helped. Manu Bennett's Slade Wilson has easily become one of the best Arrow-verse characters over the course of the last five years, and the actor's portrayal of the badass mercenary has even managed to make an impression on Marv Wolfman. With the enthusiasm of the comic book writer vocalizing his backing the petition for a Deathstroke solo project, it will be hard for the folks at DC to ignore that the possibility has potential.
A move such as this logistically already makes plenty of sense. Following the Season 5 finale of Arrow, Slade's role in the Arrow-verse has once again become incredibly important. "Lian Yu" teased new storylines for the character (involving his quest to find his son Joe), so now seems like the best possible time to dive headfirst into the Deathstroke corner of the DC universe. If Manu Bennett and Marv Wolfman are into the idea -- and it's hard to believe that no one at The CW or WB would also on board -- then there's no obvious non-financial reason not to take it seriously.
A Deathstroke solo project has become even more possible for DC because of the infrastructure that the company is beginning to establish. After all, a DC-specific streaming service is currently in development, and it will function as the platform for a live-action Teen Titans show, as well as Season 3 of Young Justice. Warner Bros. is going to need content, and a Deathstroke-centric project (whether it be a full series or a miniseries) is a perfect candidate. Slade is already a known enemy of the Titans, so bringing in Manu Bennett's version of the character to face off against the team could even represent a perfect catalyst for a live-action adaptation of The Judas Contract at some point.
As of right now, the prospect of a Deathstroke solo series is little more than an incredibly appealing piece of fan-fiction, but we will keep you posted if any new developments occur. All of your favorite Arrow-verse series will return this fall (along with newcomer series Black Lightning), but for now, make sure to check out our summer premiere guide for more in-depth information on all of this summer's most highly anticipated small screen premieres.
