1 Year Later, DC Fans Think They’ve Figured Out How the DCU’s Most Mysterious Project Fits Into the Franchise

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Christopher Smith is the first character to find himself on the DCU’s version of Salvation after Rick Flag Sr. sends him there as part of his revenge plot. Lex Luthor isn’t going to let Peacemaker be the last, though, as he has his claws deep into Flag, using the head of A.R.G.U.S. as his puppet. But what fans want to know is who else is on Luthor’s radar. Clayface is an obvious choice because his solo movie is on the 2026 release calendar, but there are two other villains that find themselves in a similar boat.

A little over a year ago, the Hollywood trades reported that Captain America: Brave New World writer Matthew Orton was working on a script for a Deathstroke and Bane team-up movie. While the idea didn’t make much sense at the time, as Bane and Deathstroke don’t have much in common beyond their disdain for Batman, recent events have made the DCU’s vision clearer, and fans believe they now understand what will bring the evildoers together.

Do you think this takes place on Salvation https://t.co/l3wsogBmen
— Jack (-_•) (@captaincupkicks) October 24, 2025

The Bane and Deathstroke Movie Could Take Place on Salvation

One of the big draws of Salvation Run is that it gives iconic DC villains the chance to team up. They would love to tear each other limb from limb, of course, but circumstances force them all to bury the hatchets because there’s a bigger threat to face in the form of Parademons. The DCU is unlikely to follow suit because Gunn has already revealed that it’s too early to bet big on Darkseid and the New Gods. However, countless other threats in DC’s library could fill the same role, opening the door to unlikely partnerships.

Throwing Deathstroke and Bane into the fire on Salvation would be a good way to differentiate them from their previous live-action iterations, which all rely on the Dark Knight for their juice. Both villains can learn to stand on their own by knocking some heads in their solo movie before turning their attention elsewhere. Maybe Deathstroke can even get the chance to handle his beef with the Teen Titans on the big screen, as that aspect of the character has been ignored in live-action outside of his appearance in the controversial Titans TV series.

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