DC Studios has made it official: a Swamp Thing horror movie is in the works. The movie will explore the dark origins of Swamp Thing, who in the comics is Alec Holland, a scientist-turned-swamp monster. He goes on a personal journey to understand what he’s become and how he’s supposed to save the world while fighting the monster within.
The news comes from James Gunn and Peter Safran as part of DC Studios’ new slate of movies and TV shows, which include Superman: Legacy, The Authority, Paradise Lost, The Brave and the Bold, Lanterns, Booster Gold, Supergirl World of Tomorrow, Creature Commandos, and an Amanda Waller project starring Viola Davis.
Safran spoke about the decision to take this horror route, providing the public with a sense of the overall vision for the new DC Cinematic Universe.
“The final film we want to talk about is Swamp Thing. We bring it up because it’s important to point out that in these stories, although interconnected, they’re not all tonally the same. So each set of filmmakers brings their own aesthetic to these films, and the fun is seeing how these totally different works mash-up in the future. So you know, this is a film that will investigate the dark origins of Swamp Thing.”
The DC Universe is no stranger to horror, and Swamp Thing is probably its best example. Created by Bernie Wrightson and Len Wein, Swamp Thing has stood the test of time as a powerhouse in the DCU, with the ability to control plant life, heal quickly, and connect to the Green, the elemental force that connects all of plant life. He can go toe-to-toe with some of the biggest and baddest characters easily.
Swamp Thing has already had a critically lauded series by Aquaman director James Wan that premiered on the now-defunct DC Universe app before going to The CW and performing well, so there’s already a proven record that this story can work. It also opens the DCU up to the supernatural and magical aspects of the world, including characters like Zatanna and John Constantine.