When the DC Universe franchise was officially announced in early 2023, Swamp Thing was one of the first movies unveiled for the shared continuity succeeding the DC Extended Universe. Created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson for 1971’s House of Secrets #92, the character was a staple of DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint for a long time, but he was returned to the DC Universe in 2010, where they’ve stayed ever since. The vegetative monster is one of DC’s most well-known supernatural superheroes alongside folks like John Constantine and Zatanna, and he’s also an integral member of the Justice League Dark.
Although this upcoming DC movie won’t be the first time Swamp Thing has been depicted in live-action or even on the big screen (more on that later), it’s probably safe to say that the DC Universe-set story will be his biggest exposure yet to the general public. So for those of you wondering what to expect from this feature film, we’ve put together this guide detailing the key pieces of information that have been revealed, and it will continue be updated as more news comes in.
When Is Swamp Thing’s Release Date?
Currently, Swamp Thing doesn’t have a release date. With James Gunn’s Superman kicking off the film side of the DC Universe on July 11, 2025, it will be followed by Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and Clayface, which arrive on June 26, 2026 and September 11, 2026, respectively.
So, the earliest Swamp Thing could be released is in 2027, but it’s easily possible we’ll have to wait longer than that given all the other officially-announced and reported DCU movies coming up, including The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, Teen Titans, Bane and Deathstroke’s team-up flick and the Daniel Craig-led Sgt. Rock.
What Is Swamp Thing About?
No official plot details have been shared for Swamp Thing yet, but we at least have a general idea of what we can expect given how the title character’s been depicted in the comics.
Multiple individuals have held the Swamp Thing mantle over the decades, usually when they’re killed and their consciousness is absorbed into The Green, the cosmic energies that give life to all plants in the universe. As the Avatar of The Green, Swamp Thing can manipulate all plant life, which in turn gives the individual powers like changing the size and shape of their body, regeneration, super strength and even traveling through time.
Although not officially confirmed yet, it’s a good bet the new Swamp Thing movie will follow Alec Holland, the most well-known character to carry the mantle. In the comics, Alec was a scientist whose laboratory was bombed after he creative a bio-restorative formula to solve the world’s food shortage problems.
Drenched in the formula, but also set ablaze by the blast, he spent his final moments running into the nearby swamp. His consciousness was absorbed into the swamp, and the conscious plant life nearby formed a new body for him, resulting in the rise of Swamp Thing.
The Swamp Thing Cast
No actors have been announced for Swamp Thing yet. Again, the likeliest bet is that the movie will follow Alec Holland. If that’s the case, we can also assume that characters like his love interest, Abby Arcane, and his arch-nemesis Anton Arcane, Abby’s father, will be included as well.
However, there’s also the possibility that this movie could instead use Levi Kamei, the current Swamp Thing in the comics. Whatever the case, just because it could be a long time before the movie is released, keep in mind that the character could be introduced in a different DCU project before he takes center stage.
Who’s Directing Swamp Thing?
James Mangold has been tapped to write and direct Swamp Thing, with this being officially confirmed in April 2023, three months after the DC Universe unveiling. This will be Mangold’s third comic book movie, as he previously helmed The Wolverine and both directed and wrote Logan. His other credits include Walk the Line, 3:10 to Yuma, Ford v Ferrari, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and A Complete Unknown.
What Will Swamp Thing Be Rated?
Needless to say an official MPA rating isn’t going to be revealed until a few months before the movie is released. However, Peter Safran said that the film will “investigate” the character’s “dark origins” through a horror lens during the DCU announcement, and James Mangold said to Variety several months later that he views the project as “a very simple, clean, Gothic horror movie about this man/monster.” With descriptions like that, it’s entirely possible Swamp Thing could end up being rated R rather than PG-13.
Will Swamp Thing Connect To Other DCU Projects?
In the aforementioned Variety interview, Mangold described his upcoming project as a “just doing my own thing with this, just a standalone” movie. But, make no mistake, the character will cross over with other corners of the DC Universe. James Gunn confirmed as much when he said in the DCU announcement that “we’ll still have Swamp Thing interact with the other characters.”
Again, maybe we’ll meet him in a different DCU movie or TV show first that plants the seed (pun fully intended) for his solo feature, or maybe said feature will find ways to connect with other projects in subtle ways that don’t distract from the story Mangold will tell.
How To Watch The Previous Swamp Thing Movies And TV Shows
While we wait for more news on how James Mangold’s film is coming along, the previous live-action Swamp Thing movies and TV shows are easy enough to track down online. 1982’s Swamp Thing and 1989’s The Return of Swamp Thing, as well as the short-lived Swamp Thing TV series that was initially released on the now-defunct DC Universe streaming service, can all be found for free on Tubi.
The Swamp Thing TV series that ran from 1990 to 1993 on USA Network, on the other hand, can only be accessed digitally by purchasing it on platforms like Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.
Keep your eyes peeled here for addition information on what we can expect from the DCU’s Swamp Thing movie. Meanwhile, if you’d like to look back on times long gone by, you can always view the DC movies in order using your Max subscription.
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