Joe Manganiello Comments On The Batman Delays

Joe Manganiello thinks that the reaction to The Batman's behind-the-scenes drama has been overblown. The actor said in a recent interview with Robert Irvine Magazine that he thinks that the "creative process needs to be respected" and that the movie's production delays are just the result of filmmakers wanting to make an "unbelievable" and "legendary" movie.

"The movie will start shooting whenever those pieces are in place and we know this is gonna be something that we're proud of," he said. "What we're not gonna do is be backed into a start date, scrambling to get something off the ground just to get it off the ground. Everyone involved wants to make this the best film possible, so that's really what it's about."

Matt Reeves signed on to direct the film last month after star Ben Affleck dropped out. Affeck also co-wrote the script with DC Comics president Geoff Johns, although reports have said it will undergo major rewrites. Although we are already getting nervous about the movie due to all of the behind-the-scenes shake-ups, Manganiello isn't worried about joining the often ill-received DC Extended Universe, saying that he's "very excited" to play the role and to work with the other people involved with the film. "Geoff Johns certainly is a really fun guy to hang around with and has a great grasp on this steering wheel that is the Titanic of the DCEU," he said. "Knowing what they have planned for the future, I think fans are really gonna love. There were a lot of superhero and supervillain roles that came my way and my gut said those were not the right fit for me. This one was perfect. This was exactly what I was looking for."

Manganiello hasn't seen Manu Bennett's portrayal of the character on The CW's Arrow and says he doesn't plan to. His prep for the role has already begun, though, with the actor working with his trainer to put together workouts that will help him move like the character. "It's an incredibly athletic role so all of the training is very functional," he said. "I've also started Kung fu and chi gung training, and I've also started working with katanas," adding that he is going to be ready for using the character's signature weapon.

While Manganiello couldn't say exactly when the movie would begin filming, he did say that it will be "soon." "No one wants to create that superhero movie that's polarizing to fans and critics," he added. "Rest assured, we're gonna do this thing right." As we wait for filming to begin, read up on the untold truth of Deathstroke.