Logan director James Mangold is reportedly in talks to direct a Swamp Thing movie. The recently announced film will be a part of the broader, interconnected DC Universe.
A new report from Variety, building off an initial article from The Hollywood Reporter, indicates that Mangold approached DC Studios heads Peter Safran and James Gunn with his idea for the project. The new Swamp Thing film was announced as part of the upcoming DC Universe slate of films, alongside Superman and Batman reboots. In a video announcing the various films, Co-CEO of DC Studios James Gunn described the film as “a very dark horror story.” It will also act as an origin story for the monstrous hero. Shortly after the announcement was released, Mangold posted an image of Swamp Thing on Twitter, which Gunn retweeted, prompting speculation.
Swamp Thing is one of the more obscure DC heroes, created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. Watchmen creator Alan Moore and artists Stephen Bissette and John Totleben did a stellar and influential run on the character in the early ’80s. He has also gotten the cinematic treatment in a poorly received movie directed by horror legend Wes Craven. Back in 2019, a Swamp Thing TV show was canceled just after the first episode aired.
James Mangold is perhaps best known for Logan, a bleak sci-fi epic starring an older and cynical Wolverine. He also directed the upcoming sequel Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and is set to direct a Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet titled A Complete Unknown.
