Joe Manganiello confirmed as Batman's Deathstroke

Magic Mike hunk Joe Manganiello has signed on to play Deathstroke in Ben Affleck's new Batman movie.

Affleck took to Twitter last month (Aug16) to tease the masked character in full costume stepping down from what looked like the back of a cargo jet in an on-set video, and it has since been revealed he'll be the main villain in the new Batman project, which the Argo filmmaker will direct and star in, as the Caped Crusader.

A close up of the man in the mask's eye sent film fans wild as they attempted to identify the new Deathstroke, with some believing Manu Bennett would be reprising the character he plays on TV series The Arrow.

Other devotees guessed at Sofia Vergara's husband Manganiello - and it seems they were spot on.

In a new interview with the Wall Street Journal, DC Entertainment chief creative officer Geoff Johns has confirmed that Joe will be donning the Deathstroke suit for Batman.

Johns declined to say when Affleck's Batman movie will be released, but confirmed he is writing the script with the director and star. He also refused to confirm or deny whether or not Manganiello's new movie villain will appear in the new Justice League film, which will feature superheroes Batman, Superman, Aquaman and The Flash.

Mercenary Deathstroke, aka Slade Wilson, was created by comic book heroes Marv Wolfman and George Perez. He first appeared in a New Teen Titans comic in 1980 and he was ranked the 24th greatest villain of all time in a Wizard magazine poll.

Over the years, he has become an adversary of DC Universe heroes like Batman and Green Arrow.