Joe Manganiello's Best Sci-Fi Roles, Ranked: From Deathstroke to True Blood

Ask anyone in Hollywood about who is a bonafide geek, and Joe Manganiello's name is likely to be mentioned a lot. While a lot of audiences may know him just for his model good looks, or his action-body physique, Manganiello is a self-professed Dungeons & Dragon's role play expert, collectibles nerd and appreciator of the superhero genre.

He may clean up nicely to toy with the contestants as host of NBC's Deal or No Deal Island, but we know he's way more at home playing Dungeon Master with his fellow gamers or watching the latest comic book adaptation. 

RELATED: Sci-Fi Star Joe Manganiello is living the dream

In other words, Manganiello is SYFY WIRE's kind of people. If you're not a familiar with his genre work, we've put together a primer of his most-high profile and entertaining live-action roles where he's done a little bit of everything, from running with a pack of werewolves to antagonizing Peter Parker.

Joe Manganiello's Best Genre Roles; Ranked

6. Burke, Rampage

The actor is just one man is a sea of muscles featured in the high-octane, movie adaptation of the video game, Rampage. It's hard to get screen time with The Rock is filling the frame, but Manganiello gets his licks in as the head honcho of a private military group trying to stop the genetically engineered ape and alligator running amuck in Chicago.

5. Flash Thompson, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy

There's something so wholesome about witnessing the early origins of an actor's career. Manganiello first made his mark in the superhero genre as high school student with a temper, Flash Thompson, in director Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy. In the original film and the third film, Thompson gets his anger on when Parker (Tobey Maguire) gets messy with his webbing. 

RELATED: Every Sam Raimi movie, ranked from 'Evil Dead' to 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness'

4. Max Fist, Archenemy

Archenemy is a lesser seen take on the superhero genre, but Manganiello shines as Max Fist, a down and out vagrant who claims he's a superhero on Earth. Everyone thinks he's just a drunk mess, but when a teen befriends him and digs deeper to discover the truth...some surprises come into play. 

3. Slade Wilson / Deathstroke, Justice League

Credit: Warner Bros.

Much to the chagrin of the actor and fans of the DC character Deathstroke, Manganiello only got to suit up twice as the character including an uncredited cameo in Zack Snyder's Justice League. It was supposed to tip up the inclusion of the character in future Snyderverse films, but that era barely continued past this film. However, the actor certainly looked cool in his eye patch and costume. Maybe he'll get a second go at a big two superhero role in the near future. 

RELATED: Joe Manganiello's Deathstroke was supposed to show up in a Suicide Squad sequel that never happened

2. Himself, Pee-wee's Big Holiday

Watching actor Paul Reuben's mangle Manganiello's last name and the actor delight in the absurdity is reason enough to watch the last cinematic adventure of the Pee-Wee Herman character in Pee-Wee's Big Holiday. Manganiello plays himself in this movie, an actor who rides into Pee-Wee's town and challenges the creature of habit to expand his horizons. It's a great straight man part for Manganiello, and he's more than up to the comedic task of meeting Ruebens note for note. 

1. Alcide Herveaux, True Blood

True Blood, the television series adaptation of Charlaine Harris' supernatural horror/romance Sookie Stackhouse novels, put Manganiello on the radars of many as the werewolf Alcide Herveaux. Just one of several supernatural dudes to pull the eye of waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), Manganiello was 100 percent eye candy for the audience and he looked like he was having all the fun playing the jacked construction worker with plenty of lady problems. 

New episodes of Deal or No Deal Island  airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT. All episodes will be available next-day on Peacock.