Did Affleck Choose Deathstroke As The First Batman Villain To Appeal To Fans Of ‘Arrow’?

DC Needs To Make Better Use Of Its Existing Fanbase

DC has a unique situation on its hands. It has an existing fanbase who currently has nothing to be excited for. To some of the most cynical, Arrow has gone off track, and the DCEU simply isn’t delivering (at least we still have The Flash, right?). I’m not saying this is everybody, as both Arrow and the DCEU definitely still have well-established fanbases, but it is certainly a significant percentage of DC’s fandom. This is why when I saw the video of Deathstroke shared by Ben Affleck, who was then confirmed as the villain in the first Batman movie, it all made sense.

Affleck is no dummy. He went from Gigli to Batman, he knows what he is doing. What if the reason he chose Deathstroke was more of a marketing tactic than anything? What if using Deathstroke is a way to reenergize stagnant Arrow fans and bring them over to the DCEU? Arrow has gotten so far off track that their Reddit page was even converted over to a Daredevil theme to protest the direction of the show. Arrow fans need something to cling to, and Affleck realized that that something could be Deathstroke.

DC knows which characters sell and which don’t. Batman obviously sells. The Joker obviously sells. Thanks to Arrow (and Manu Bennett), Deathstroke sells. I will speak for myself when I say this, but my interest is even higher for the next Batman movie because of how much I enjoyed Deathstroke in Arrow, and I don’t think I’m alone in that opinion. If you look at the suit in the test screening that Affleck posted, it is even somewhat reminiscent of the suit from Arrow. A little sleeker and more true to the comics (aka no longer a hockey mask…), the presumed DCEU suit is sure to trigger Arrow fans everywhere. I’m thinking Affleck knew that, and used it to his advantage. And now until the time Affleck’s Batman movie comes out, we will be writing articles discussing and comparing the different versions of Deathstroke (kind of like this one), fan-casting the character, and reminiscing back on the days that Manu Bennett first brought Deathstroke the Terminator to life. Don’t forget, the best type of publicity, is always free publicity.

Right, kid?

Do you think there was any intention on Affleck’s part of appealing to Arrow fans by using Deathstroke? Even subconsciously? Or is it all just a coincidence and I’m pretty much a lunatic? Make sure to let me know in the comments, I love hearing your opinions!