When James Gunn and Peter Safran became the heads of DC Studios, their newly announced expansive slate of DCU projects was exciting. It featured a fantastic mix of iconic characters like Batman and Superman, while also shining a spotlight on lesser-known characters like Booster Gold, the Creature Commandos, and more.
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However, , with former Marvel Studios executive . While the future of the series is uncertain, tons of yet-unproduced projects are in jeopardy, including one of the DCU’s most unique: Swamp Thing.
Swamp Thing May Never Get A Movie Now That Gunn & Safran Have Been Replaced
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While Swamp Thing is rarely mentioned in the debate of who the most popular DC Comics character is, the horror character has been one of the company’s most prevalent figures. Swamp Thing has gotten two live-action movies, 1982’s Swamp Thing and 1989’s The Return of Swamp Thing, as well as a 1990 live-action TV series and a 1991 animated series. On top of that, the character has appeared in tons of other DC projects, like Justice League Action, Harley Quinn, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, and more.
Based on the character’s popularity and James Gunn’s attraction to outcast superheroes, it wasn’t surprising when a Swamp Thing movie was announced as part of the DCU’s initial slate. The film would have been inspired by Alan Moore’s The Saga of the Swamp Thing run, and would have been a Gothic horror film that explored the origin of the titular character. As recently as October 2026, it was confirmed that Swamp Thing was still happening, with the film avoiding the lengthy list of DCU projects that had been cancelled since the initial slate’s announcement.
It is likely that Latcham’s DCU will be more traditional than Gunn’s, focusing on more bankable characters in order to increase the box office returns of the franchise. While nothing is confirmed, it wouldn’t be surprising to see movies based on Wonder Woman and the Flash get fast-tracked, while Gunn’s special-interest shows like Waller probably won’t be moving forward. It is possible that Swamp Thing could wind up in the latter category, as Clayface‘s box office returns have proven that dark, horror-focused monster movies aren’t guaranteed successes for the DCU.
This is a shame, as Swamp Thing is one of DC’s most complex and interesting characters. A Swamp Thing film in the modern era could have been incredible, using updated visual effects to bring the character to life in a way that hasn’t yet been seen. Swamp Thing is on the precipice of being an icon, and a movie could help push him over the line and become a household name. Unfortunately, a movie based on the character is still a risk, and a hypothetical risk-averse DCU probably wouldn’t make this project a priority.
Swamp Thing Was Meant To Be Directed By The Man Behind One Of Marvel’s Best Movies
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Throughout Gunn and Safran’s DCU, one of the goals of the franchise was to bring on interesting directors to create high-quality projects. While this didn’t always work, it was one of the more notable things about the franchise. I, Tonya‘s Craig Gillespie directed Supergirl, Speak No Evil‘s James Watkins directed Clayface, and Watchmen‘s Damon Lindelof was one of the creators of Lanterns. Plus, directors like Mike Flanagan and Luca Guadagnino have been attached to projects throughout the universe’s life.
Swamp Thing was no exception to this trend, as director James Mangold was meant to helm the film. Mangold has previously directed movies like 2005’s Walk the Line, 2019’s Ford v Ferrari, 2023’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and 2024’s A Complete Unknown. More interestingly, Mangold also directed 2017’s Logan, the final Wolverine film in FOX’s X-Men franchise. Logan is considered to be one of the best superhero movies of all time, so having him connected to the Swamp Thing movie inspired a lot of confidence in fans.
The Swamp Thing movie was described by Gunn as a “passion project” for Mangold, making the movie even more exciting. This only makes the film’s uncertain future more tragic, as it seems like a project that Mangold was eager to work on. It is possible that Swamp Thing could still happen, but as we’re waiting on the dust to settle, it’s fair to say that most of the DCU’s projects are on shaky ground.
Would you have wanted to see Swamp Thing? Let us know on the ComicBook Forum!
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