In October, comic book fans all over the world were thrown for a loop once more when James Gunn and Peter Safran were officially named the co-chairmen and CEOs of the revamped DC Studios. With the company going through many different plans in its past regardinglong-term cinematic storiesand character arcs and none of them actually ever sticking, these two names made it clear that this time, Warner Brothers doesn’t seem to be messing around. With Safran being the head of the financial department, James Gunn has already made some firm decisions that have startled moviegoers.
Even though these revelations have included halting production on working features likeWonder Woman 3,Man of Steel 2,Batman Beyond,and most recentlyBlack Adam 2, Gunn made it very clear even before he was ever approached to be the boss of DC Studios which characters he would create a story for if he ever had the opportunity. Rather than naming top-tier heroes like the ones he most recently canceled, the prolific director opted for more obscure heroes like the gunslinger Jonah Hex, the various strong-armed Metal Men, and the avatar of the green,Swamp Thing.
Considering the fact that Marvel Studios just recentlyintroduced their own swamp creature, Man-Thing, to the masses through the Disney+ special,Werewolf by Night, this would for the DCU to have the big screen debut of Swamp Thing.
Will There Be a Swamp Thing Movie?
The four properties that are still continuing under Gunn’s new road to victory as of right now are Blue Beetle, The Flash, Aquaman, and Superman, the king of the swamp still has plenty of room to leap out from under the green thick moss and make his big screen debut. Not only are those confirmed avenues available, but the superhero Green Lantern has been stated to be an important part of the DCU going forward. A somewhatreassuring tweetabout the signature Justice League Dark team leads fans to believe the more magical team has not been forgotten about.
Related:James Gunn Drops Strong Hint at Justice League Dark Universe Coming to the DCU
Swamp Thing previously had a movie in 1982, though the character’s most recent iteration was in the 2019 series available on the video-on-demand service DC Universe. It only aired for one season before it was canceled by Warner Bros and the service was rebranded.
Swamp Thing’s More Magical Origins
With those four properties in place, fans of the DCU can start coming up with the simplest orwildest of theoriesregarding how Swamp Thing can pivot from the comic books and finally onto the big screen in a way that will be impactful.
First and foremost, the connection that makes the most sense to bring this about is using theantihero John Constantineas a catalyst. Even though the dark sorcerer Constantine premiered in Swamp Thing #37 back in 1985, he and Swamp Thing are both members of the Justice League Dark. Since that is always discussed when bringing up potential DC projects to bring to film, this would be the best segway. The team could possibly need the help of The Green (the cosmic force that connects all plant life in the universe) to defeat an overpowered villain and Swamp Thing questions their motives before giving them access to the power. The two characters have a lot of history together in the world of DC Comics, so this would be beneficial to comic and movie fans alike.
Team movies have been successful in the past likeThe Suicide Squad,The Avengersand the not yet releasedThunderbolts, so it’s entirely possible thatthe Justice League Darkfinally makes its way out of the creative minds in charge and into theaters.
Using The Caped Crusader as a Catalyst
With what can be perceived as the most seamless way to get Swamp Thing involved with the DCU, there is also the most hard-hitting approach where the iconic caped crusader could get involved. In October 1986 and in a rage to get his wife back from the clutches of the Gotham court system, Swamp Thing severely cripples the city with a plant and vine overgrowth that nobody has ever seen before. Other DC characters such as Lex Luthor, Detective James Gordon, and James Bullock are involved with this over-the-top, fantasy-like story. Swamp Thing ultimately transforms into a giant redwood-filled construct, one of which is taller than most buildings, in an attempt to release his significant other. Albeit the extravagant story, inserting Swamp Thing into a cinematicBatmanfilm story arc would instantly get many eyes on the lesser popular superhero.
Related:Aquaman’s Jason Momoa Excited to See His DCU Dream Come True With New DC Studios Team
The elements of nature not only come together in the scientific world but also in the comic realm as well. Soon to have two solo movies under his belt, Aquaman is no stranger to the powerful strength of the Swamp Thing. Feuding once in the late 90s and then again in 2014, the one who represents the ocean and the other who stands for all green on earth should be getting along, but comic book fans would be more than happy to see these two titans go at it on the big screen.
Taking into account that both Warner Brothers and DC Studios are looking for anything drastically new these days to distance themselves from their past mistakes, fans can only cross their fingers that they find themselves within the green, murky waters of Swamp Thing soon. With the number of characters that James Gunn has already teased on Twitter, anything is possible.
