‘Superbad’ director Greg Mottola may be circling one of DC Studios’ developing villain projects.

Sources indicate that Mottola, who is already part of the DC fold after directing episodes of Peacemaker, is considered a leading contender to helm the currently untitled ‘Deathstroke and Bane’ feature. Other filmmakers are also said to be under consideration.

The project is still in the very early stages. No finished script has been delivered, no deals have been signed, and the film remains in development.

Reports of a Deathstroke and Bane movie first surfaced in September 2024, after James Gunn and Peter Safran had taken charge of DC Studios. The first draft was reportedly written by Matthew Orton, whose credits include Marvel Studios and Disney+’s Moon Knight. Should Mottola ultimately land the directing job, Orton would likely handle a rewrite tailored to his version of the film.

The project would bring Bane back to the big screen for the first time since Christopher Nolan’s 2012 film ‘The Dark Knight Rises,’ where he was played by Tom Hardy. Created by Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench and Graham Nolan, Bane made his comic-book debut in Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 in January 1993.

In DC Comics lore, Bane was born and raised inside Peña Duro prison on the Caribbean island of Santa Prisca. The son of King Snake, he became a test subject for the strength-enhancing super-steroid known as Venom. After escaping prison, Bane makes his way to Gotham City and becomes one of Batman’s most formidable enemies, famously breaking the hero’s back in the storyline known as “Breaking the Bat.”

Deathstroke, meanwhile, first appeared as Deathstroke the Terminator in The New Teen Titans #2 in 1980, created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez. Also known as Slade Joseph Wilson, Deathstroke is a former U.S. Army soldier turned mercenary whose abilities are heightened by a supersoldier serum. Over the years, he has clashed with Dick Grayson, the Teen Titans, Batman, Green Arrow and the Justice League.

His rivalry with the Titans stems from his vow to avenge his eldest son, Grant. His other children, Joseph and Rose, later turned against him by joining the Titans. Deathstroke has also appeared in live-action DC projects, with Esai Morales portraying him in Titans and Joe Manganiello making cameo appearances as the character in ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League.’

Mottola is currently an executive producer and director on Peacock’s upcoming series ‘The Miniature Wife,’ starring Elizabeth Banks and Matthew Macfadyen.

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