Joe Manganiello is known for briefly playing Deathstroke in the DCEU. He appeared in a post-credits scene and made an appearance in another movie, too. However, Manganiello's character was supposed to be one of the villains in Ben Affleck’s The Batman.

So, when the production fell apart, the actor said he was shocked by the situation and struggled to cope during that time in his life.

Joe Manganiello, in his recent interviews, has revealed that Ben Affleck had offered him the role of Deathstroke in the DCEU while he was struggling with a serious health issue. At the time, the actor had placed his hopes on the role, using it as motivation to recover fast and hoping he would be healthy the following year. So, when The Batman was scrapped, he told Entertainment Tonight that he struggled to come to terms with the news.

“I lost my mind when that happened. It was so tough because I took me being offered that role as the villain Batman as the universe, saying it's going to be okay,” he said.

While speaking about his memoir, Bloodlines, with Entertainment Tonight, the actor shared that after landing the role, he was hopeful about gaining back the weight he had lost, getting healthy, and preparing for the rigorous stunts required for the action movie. He recalled initially feeling unlucky when the movie was scrapped, but later came to see it differently and began to look at the bright side of the situation. 

“What I came to understand through the full Journey was that I was lucky to get it. It was never meant to be for me. It was there to make sure that I didn't stop fighting,” he recalled. 

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At the time, Manganiello was going through one of the toughest periods of his life, battling a disease that nearly took his life.

Joe Manganiello recently appeared on CBS Mornings for a conversation with Gayle King to discuss his memoir, Bloodlines, and his health issues. He recalled experiencing mysterious symptoms for a year before going to the hospital. He opened up about his disease and how doctors removed his intestine to save his life.

"And in the wake of that, I lost 60 pounds in two weeks. I couldn't walk. My eye went cross-eyed. I lost my voice. I had five catheters," he said.

He further revealed that he was married to Sofia Vergara at the time and credited her with making the decision while he was unconscious. Manganiello explained that the procedure did not solve the issue but helped buy the doctors some time to figure out the situation. The actor also shared more about his life and career, including the time he received the offer from Ben Affleck that ultimately fell through, in his memoir, Bloodlines.

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What do you think about Joe Manganiello and Ben Affleck's scrapped movie? Let us know in the comments.