The DC Universe can finally redeem the failure of 1982’s Swamp Thing with its own iteration of the classic DC Comics character. Created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson in 1971, Swamp Thing’s comics melded the superhero and horror genres, taking inspiration from archetypical horror movie monsters. Fittingly, Wes Craven – best known for his work in the horror genre – would write and direct Swamp Thing’s live-action debut.

Unfortunately, 1982’s Swamp Thing was not well-received, and subsequent live-action appearances of the character were few and far between. The most notable of these, however, would be 2019’s Swamp Thing TV series, which was highly successful among critics and viewers, though it only lasted one season. A DCU version of Swamp Thing is due to return to the big screen as part of the DC Universe’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters slate, which will include a Swamp Thing film – written and directed by James Mangold – that can hopefully turn the tables for the fascinating character.

DCU’s Swamp Thing Movie Can Finally Redeem The Original 1982 Release

1982’s Swamp Thing had a particularly divisive reception, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a score of 60% among critics and 40% among viewers, with viewer scores rarely being lower than critic scores. The 1982 film is accurate to the comic source material and retains the horror B-movie spirit of the original Swamp Thing comics, but this may have sadly been the reason for its abysmal reception. Swamp Thing is described by many as campy, and the titular hero’s costume is often dismissed as cheap-looking and difficult to take seriously, even by early 80s standards.

The 2019 Swamp Thing TV series, on the other hand, put a strong emphasis on the character’s horror elements, taking inspiration from Modern Age Swamp Thing comics. Here, Swamp Thing was no longer a new form for Alec Holland, but rather a new entity who absorbed the memories of the now-deceased Holland, giving the character an identity crisis. However, the show’s positive reception, ultimately, did not save it, as it proved too expensive to continue. With this in mind, the upcoming DC movie need only look to the more successful adaptation to succeed.

Why DCU’s Swamp Thing Movie Already Looks Promising

The DCU’s Swamp Thing movie will have the benefit of hindsight going forward, and budget constraints will most likely not be a major issue given the major franchise it’s a part of. The film can reuse the most effective elements of the previous live-action Swamp Thing iterations, and it will be part of a larger shared universe, further increasing the likelihood of widespread appeal to viewers. With the talented James Mangold writing and directing the film, the DCU’s Swamp Thing seems poised to finally succeed after previous adaptations failed.