James Gunn continues to reveal more details about theDCU, and his latest comments give me hope that one underrated DC character will be given justice.The DCU slatehas many familiar DC characters,such as Superman, Supergirl, Green Lantern, and Batman, but projects with lesser-known characters are also in development.Creature CommandosandThe Authorityare two projects containing heroes and villains that casual audiences aren’t familiar with. However, Gunn has a knack for making audiences fall in love with bizarre and obscure characters.
One character in the mid-tier of popularity isSwamp Thing, a character who has a confirmed DCU project in development. Swamp Thing has had a few projects over the years, but nothing has elevated the hero into mainstream pop culture. It’s known that theSwamp Thing project will be a movie, with director James Mangold already attached, and though it doesn’t have a release date, it’s exciting that Gunn already has plans for this character. After his latest comments, I’m more excited about a DCU Swamp Thing movie, as Gunn understands his popularity and value.
James Gunn Understands How Popular Swamp Thing Is
Gunn is active on his social media and often responds to fans' questions and comments. In a recent post onThreads, one user responded to Gunn, claiming the DC Studios co-chief was giving projects tocharacters like Sgt. Rockand Swamp Thing to appeal to hardcore comic book readers. Gunn responded swiftly, saying Swamp Thing’s popularity is often underappreciated, and he has many great stories that audiences will respond to positively.
“Don’t put Swamp Thing in the corner. That’s a project in development we’ve actually announced, and he’s an incredibly well known character with not only some of the greatest comics of all time but a successful film series and his own TV show, something that could be said of only a very small handful of DC characters.”
Swamp Thing isn’t on the same level as Superman or Wonder Woman, but he still has a decent audience and has been represented in several projects. He got a1982 film directed by Wes Cravenand a 2019 TV series that premiered on the DC Universe streaming platform. Swamp Thing was also included in the roster ofInjustice 2. DC continues to make new Swamp Thing comics, illustrating the character’s lasting popularity. Gunn understands Swamp Thing remains a popular character among a diverse audience.
The DCU Can Redeem The DC Universe’s Canceled Swamp Thing Series
Swamp Thingdebuted on DC’s short-lived DC Universe streaming app, an attempt by the company to put its comic books, shows, and movies in one place. While the series didn’t get the best viewership numbers, it received excellent reviews from critics and audiences. The series currently holds a 92% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. While the visual effects weren’t always top-notch, the show offered a more realistic and dark perspective on the character, and it was refreshing to see the Swamp Thing taken so seriously.
Unfortunately, the positive feedback couldn’t save it, as it was abruptly canceled after one season. When the DC Universe app was repurposed into the comics-only DC Universe Infinite, it wasn’tsaved likeHarley QuinnandTitans, which moved over to Max. This series deserved an extension, but barring that, the DCU could give it the justice it deserves. Gunn knows how to make odd characters more popular, and he can do the same thing with Swamp Thing. With the help ofLogandirector James Mangold,Swamp Thingcan finally get a successful project in the DCU that sends him into the mainstream.
