The Batman’s Deathstroke reveals his intense training regime: "kung fu, qiqong, and cutting with a live katana blade"

The Batman may have had its fair share of upheaval recently – a new director, plus a new script – but one constant, other than Bats himself, has remained: Joe Manganiello as Deathstroke. He’s been speaking about playing the hotshot baddie, and the intense weapons training he’s gone through in preparation for the role.

Subscribe to Total Film now - in print or on digital from only £7

Total Film Magazine spoke to Manganiello, who is upbeat about the upcoming movie, despite the recent uncertainty, “I’m very excited,” Manganiello said before explaining his training regime, “I just started kung fu, qiqong and cutting with a live katana blade. That’s been a lot of fun.” I’d be excited too if I was getting paid to mess around with a katana!

Manganiello also wants audiences to see his side of things – a welcome change from the two-dimensional villains of comic book movie past: “These characters mean so much to people and there’s a real opportunity to polarise an audience or have them walk away maybe not agreeing with my character but understanding why he does what he does”, Manganiello adds, “That’s a fun challenge.”

Read the full Joe Manganiello interview in the latest issue of Total Film magazine, on sale now. Buy future issues here. 

Images: Total Film and DC/Warner Bros.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

Latest in DC Movies
Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne in The Batman
Robert Pattinson worries he will be a "f*cking old Batman" by the time filming on The Batman 2 finally starts
Superman
Gen V star reveals he unsuccessfully auditioned for Superman and Homelander
Daniel Radcliffe in The Lost City / Clayface in DC comics
James Gunn denies DC casting rumors that Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe will play Clayface: "We certainly haven’t talked to or considered him"
Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry in Aquaman
Jason Momoa pitched being cast as Lobo as soon as James Gunn got his DC job in a text with "ten billion exclamation points": "It was always part of the plan"
David Corenswet as Superman
James Gunn has held screenings for Superman and the feedback means they're "making little changes" – and won't rule out "tiny" reshoots
Matt Hagen
DC Studios boss says Batman villain Clayface is "even more terrifying" than Penguin and Joker
Latest in News
Dragon Age Inquisition
Dragon Age actor says the last time he played Inquisition, he upheld the RPG tradition led by Baldur's Gate 3 actors and romanced his own character: "Which is the best — the best"
Monster Hunter Wilds
Capcom promises "this is just the start for the next generation of Monster Hunter" as Wilds shatters sales milestones: "The Guild authorizes this celebration!"
Lester sitting at a computer in some artwork for GTA Online
Some GTA 5 players can't bring their characters to the new PC upgrade, and the open-world game's mixed Steam reviews are hammering FPS caps and a lack of text chat
Kamala Khan holds Jean Grey's body in an homage to the cover of Uncanny X-Men #136
45 years after the original Dark Phoenix Saga, Ms. Marvel Kamala Khan will travel back in time to save X-Men history
Assassin's Creed Shadows screenshot showing Yasuke kneeling and praying while wearing a traditional purple robe
Assassin's Creed Shadows is the first game in the series with "a fully customizable sandbox" as your base, which is where Yasuke and Naoe hang out and pet baby animals
Monster Hunter Wilds screenshot of spider boss Nerscylla
Monster Hunter Wilds takes an infamously rare and annoying material from the old games and absolutely buries you in it – and also buries you in tiny spiders