The world of DC Comics' character Swamp Thing is a vast and rich one, with plenty of potential to work on both the big or small screen. The character is expected to return to the silver screen in the near-future, as James Gunn announced the first slate of DC Universe projects a couple of years ago, with a Swamp Thing movie among those announcements. It was subsequently confirmed that James Mangold would helm the film.
Unfortunately, the film, and other DCU projects, have been hit with setbacks, making their immediate future unclear. With regards to Swamp Thing, it's still in development so it hasn't been canceled outright but whether or not that it will happen in the future (or if it will be pushed back) is currently up in the air.
At this point in time, there isn't a lot known about the story of the potential Swamp Thing movie, but Mangold has stated in various interviews that his DCU film will be strictly standalone. Mangold stated in an interview with Variety, "While I’m sure DC views Swamp Thing as a franchise, I would be viewing it as a very simple, clean, Gothic horror movie about this man/monster.” He went on to add that he has been “toying for years with the idea of making a kind of Frankenstein movie.
So, what could this mean for the film's story? Honestly, it could mean a lot of things, but one thing is clear is that Mangold wants to take inspiration from other stories outside of Swamp Thing or DC related stuff, such as Frankenstein. It sounds like a cool overall pitch, but there's still so much that isn't known that it's hard to say what we could expect from the movie if it ever comes out. But, what Swamp Thing stories both in the comics and film/TV adaptations should Mangold use or disregard?
Swamp Thing stories that the DC Universe movie should draw inspiration from
Since debuting in the early 1970s, Swamp Thing has had decades of stories that any creative mind could pull from for a Swamp Thing movie, be it from the many comic storylines, or the various adaptations of the character in other mediums. So, where should Mangold look for good source material?
The safest best would be to draw from the original Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson run from Swamp Thing volume 1, particularly the first 10 issues. This laid the groundwork for all Swamp Thing stories to come afterward, of course. That said, let's briefly dive into Swamp Thing's early stories and his first appearance, which was in House of Secrets No. 92, with Wein and Wrightson being the creators of the character. In that issue, the story revolves around Alex Olsen, a scientist who had seemingly tragically died in a lab accident. But unbeknownst to everyone who knew and loved him, Alex survived, and was transformed into a muck encrusted mockery of a man known as Swamp Thing!
It's later revealed in the story that Alex's best friend, Damien Ridge, sabotaged his lab and dumped his body in the swamp in order to marry Alex's wife, Linda. As Swamp Thing, he returns to his home to see Damien intent on killing Linda after going mad, but with his newfound strength he kills Damien and saves Linda. However, Linda is horrified at the sight before her, and unfortunately Alex as Swamp Thing cannot speak to explain who he is to her, and so he sets off into the nearby swamps to live his life alone and broken.
When Swamp Thing got his own solo series, there were changes made to the character from his first appearance, such as the fact that the story now took place in the then modern times of the early 1970s (instead of the early 20th century). Alex Olsen was also changed to Alec Holland, but the origins of the character remained relatively the same; there were just some newly-added characters, the new time period, and new enemies added into the mix. The Alec Holland version of Swamp Thing has been the main one for decades, with Alex Olsen and other predecessors and successors showing up for frequent cameos in later stories.
As for Mangold's DCU film, an idea that would truly make it unique would be to focus on Alex Olsen instead of Alec Holland. That would certainly be an interesting take, because much isn't known of the adventures he had while still being Swamp Thing on Earth. For one thing, it would catch most fans who know of the Swamp Thing character off-guard, and it could set the stage for future Swamp Thing stories either in the character's own movie or in a team-up film (perhaps even Justice League Dark?) Mangold could use the gothic horror tones of the original series run, but setting it in an early 20th century setting instead of the 1970s would be a real treat.
Another storyline that the DC Universe movie could pull from would be the Alan Moore era, arguably the most famous and well acclaimed Swamp Thing era of all time. However, it would probably be best to stick with the existential parts of the Moore run as Mangold's movie will seemingly look to have the titular character suffer from amnesia and follow his journey to recover his identity. Moore's early parts of the run contain much self-reflective and crisis of identity, and Mangold could use those ideas and interpret them in a different but equally interesting way. And if Mangold does use the Alex Olsen iteration of the character, it could make for very compelling viewing. The film could follow Olsen post-transformation, struggling to regain his identity, and along the way he encounters other horrors both fantastical and all too common, before confronting the man who took everything from him, Damien Ridge. Mangold could expand upon the relationship between Olsen and Ridge from House of Secrets, because there's a lot to be explored in future adaptations.
Outside the comics, the best place which James Mangold's movie could take some inspiration from is the criminally short-lived Swamp Thing series that streamed on the DC Universe streaming service in 2019. That show heavily utilizes the ideas and stories from Moore's comics, while offering up a complex take of its own on the character. As Mangold's project would be a movie, it would be best to keep it a bit simpler, however.
But what the director could take from the 2019 show is the look, feel and overall aesthetic of it. While there was some CGI in there, most of the show was made with practical effects and real locations, which made it feel more much more authentic and visceral. And the main hook for that series was the practically-made Swamp Thing suit, which was the absolutely perfect look for the character on screen. That, combined with Derek Mears' imposing and emotional performance as Swamp Thing, there's a lot that that show got right that future creators should take notes from.
The Swamp Thing stories that the DCU movie should avoid (for now at least)
Now, while the Swamp Thing mythos has grown so much since the character's inception, I think there are certain comics and adaptations that should either be left alone or saved for another project.
Alan Moore's run on the character is the most iconic and my personal favorite era of Swamp Thing, but for a major motion picture based on a character that isn't as well-known to the general audiences as some of his fellow DC counterparts, I say leave out some of the more, out there ideas from that particular run. Specifically, the stuff with Swamp Thing being the literal personification of nature and the protector of the Green, the land where past incarnations of Swamp Thing hold sway over future successors and help protect the world. While all of that mythos is interesting and compelling, it might be too much to introduce in the character's first solo movie in decades and should be saved for another project.
Speaking of movies, the first two Swamp Thing movies (1982's Swamp Thing and 1989's Return of Swamp Thing) should be avoided at all costs, especially the second one. If Mangold wants to create a true horror movie, the last place he should look for inspiration are the 1980s Swamp Thing films, because while there's a certain level of charm to be found in them, they suffer from too much B-movie energy, bad costumes, and campy performances.
The last stories Mangold should save for the future is the New 52 era of Swamp Thing. This era expands upon what Moore did in his run, and while the stories were very cool and interesting, again, it would be too much to throw at your average movie-going audience.
While it's more than likely we won't hear from Mangold about his Swamp Thing film for a while (or if it's even still happening), I for one am still excited about the future of DC under James Gunn, with or without Swamp Thing!
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