Swamp Thing is among the most powerful heroes in the DC Universe. You can destroy his physical body many times over, but he’ll simply build a new one from within ‘the green.’ Though this reputation for regeneration took a hit in 2019 when his solo show was cancelled immediately after the premiere. That came on top of the series already having had its thirteen-episode order cut to ten, with WarnerMedia citing “creative differences.”
It later emerged the real reason that the show got such shoddy treatment was because North Carolina had unexpectedly reduced their tax rebates, meaning that through no fault of the creative team, it came in way over budget. Since then, the ten-episode run has migrated from DC Universe to The CW (where the titular character was given a nice nod in their “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover) and will soon be available on HBO Max. Despite this, however, it’s seemed there’d be little chance of a full-on comeback.
But now there are some green shoots poking through the soil. J.J. Abrams is producing Justice League Dark for HBO Max, based on the comic which focuses on magic and occult-themed DC characters. Swamp Thing is a key member of this team, alongside John Constantine, Zatanna and Deadman, so it makes sense that he’d play an important role in whatever story they’re telling.
Beyond that, scoopster Mikey Sutton is reporting that there’s also talk of a new solo show on HBO Max. This would be produced by Abrams as well and presumably be contingent on Justice League Dark being a hit and their take on the character being well received. But there’s a note of caution for fans of the 2019 take, as Sutton also reports that:
“This Swamp Thing will have absolutely no connection to the DC Universe version.”
Swamp Thing has always been one of my favorite DC characters, with Alan Moore’s groundbreaking 1980s run still an incredible and mind-bending read. Let’s hope he can blossom into new life with a decent budget on HBO Max.
