Logan director says his Swamp Thing movie will be "a simple, clean Gothic horror" that's not connected to the wider DCU

(Image credit: DC)

Sorry, Justice League Dark fans, the DCU's upcoming Swamp Thing movie won't be connected to the wider franchise. Well, if director James Mangold can help it, anyway...

In a new interview with MovieWeb, the filmmaker, whose previous works include Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Logan, teased what to expect from his adaptation, describing it as a "simple, clean Gothic horror about this man/monster."

"With other kinds of IP, it gets to a religious level. While I'm sure DC views Swamp Thing as a franchise," Mangold continued. "[I'm] just doing my own thing with this, just a standalone. I’m not that interested in being handcuffed by so much lore at this point that it's almost immovable and you can't please anybody."

Created by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson, Swamp Thing first appeared in House of Secrets #92 back in July 1971. It's not been made clear which version of the character Mangold will be bringing to life but in the comics, the antihero has had four different alter-egos: Alexander Olsen, Alec Holland, Tefé Holland, and Levi Kamei. It's most likely that the film will center on Alec, though, given that he's the most notable – and was also the protagonist of DC's TV show that ran for one season in 2019.

In the source material, Alec is introduced as a Louisiana-based scientist who invents a formula that promises to solve the world's food shortage problems with his wife Linda. But after his rivals plant a bomb in his laboratory and he gets caught in the explosion, Alec runs into a nearby swamp. The formula, which is drenched all over his body, then affects the plant in the swamp, imbuing it with Alec's consciousness and transforming him into an anthropomorphic mound of mossy matter.

His best-known enemies include Floronic Man, General Sunderland, the Un-Men, and Anton Arcane, while he goes on to become the partner of John Constantine – a fact that had some fans hoping Swamp Thing's movie would usher the occultist into the DCU.

"I've learned a lot, whether it's making an action film, or whether it's making a Western and bringing those energies to a kind of superhero film or Marvel film," Mangold added. "You not only learn things making one genre, but then you learn how to carry over lessons from that genre into another one that you might not expect."

For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and TV shows heading our way.

Amy West

I am an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things TV and film across our Total Film and SFX sections. Elsewhere, my words have been published by the likes of Digital Spy, SciFiNow, PinkNews, FANDOM, Radio Times, and Total Film magazine.

Read more
James Gunn
James Gunn's DC Studios puts several projects on the backburner, including Waller, The Authority, Booster Gold, and its Batman reboot
Michael B. Jordan in Ryan Coogler's vampire horror Sinners
Black Panther director reveals the one reason why making his new horror movie was "more exciting" than working with Marvel
Clayface in Batman: The Animated Series
Clayface attracts attention of two horror directors as the upcoming movie in James Gunn's DCU is rumored to be a "horror-thriller-tragedy"
Two men in a labyrinth on the cover of Dark Spaces: Dungeon
Absolute Batman writer Scott Snyder's Dark Spaces: Dungeon is being adapted into a movie by the producers of Late Night with the Devil
Julia Garner as 'Charlotte', Matilda Firth as 'Ginger', and Christopher Abbott as 'Blake' in Wolf Man
Wolf Man director explains why he didn't want too much werewolf lore in his new Universal Monsters horror movie
Julia Garner as Charlotte and Christopher Abbott as Blake in Wolf Man
Wolf Man director on how his new horror movie was inspired by Denis Villeneuve's Sicario and Prisoners: "This isn't a fantasy, this is real"
Latest in DC Movies
Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne in The Batman
Robert Pattinson worries he will be a "f*cking old Batman" by the time filming on The Batman 2 finally starts
Superman
Gen V star reveals he unsuccessfully auditioned for Superman and Homelander
Daniel Radcliffe in The Lost City / Clayface in DC comics
James Gunn denies DC casting rumors that Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe will play Clayface: "We certainly haven’t talked to or considered him"
Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry in Aquaman
Jason Momoa pitched being cast as Lobo as soon as James Gunn got his DC job in a text with "ten billion exclamation points": "It was always part of the plan"
David Corenswet as Superman
James Gunn has held screenings for Superman and the feedback means they're "making little changes" – and won't rule out "tiny" reshoots
Matt Hagen
DC Studios boss says Batman villain Clayface is "even more terrifying" than Penguin and Joker
Latest in News
Daredevil: Born Again
A major character is returning in Daredevil: Born Again season 2 – despite being killed off in the first 10 minutes of season 1
Monster Hunter Wilds
Monster Hunter Wilds' first time-limited event quests are here, giving fans just 2 weeks to snag special armor and rare materials in the action RPG
Darth Vader in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Longlegs director pitches horrifying Star Wars movie with Darth Vader, and we want it to happen
Fragpunk
Marvel Rivals publisher indefinitely delays its other hero shooter on Xbox and PS5 2 days before its free-to-play launch
Mario & Luigi: Brothership trailer still
The end is nigh for the 3DS as Nintendo runs out of parts for 2 more models in Japan, with only 1 iteration still accepted for repairs
Milla Jovovich in In the Lost Lands
Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin's In The Lost Lands could get an on-screen sequel, and Martin is apparently keen too