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The DC Universe’s Only Horror Movie Is A Major Test Of James Gunn’s Franchise
Swamp Thing, the only horror movie in James Gunn and Peter Safran's slate for the DC Universe's first chapter, will prove how ambitious the franchise will be. "Gods and Monsters," the first chapter in the new era of DC movies, will introduce a new version of Batman and Superman, alongside never-seen-before movie and TV adaptations of lesser known characters and groups such as The Authority and The Creature Commandos. But one DC character that stands out over the rest is Swamp Thing, a dark figure that has played a big role in various DC comic books and animated releases throughout the years, but who hasn't been able to succeed in live action.
Attempts at making Swamp Thing a horror movie icon date back to 1982, when Freddy Krueger creator Wes Craven first translated the DC monster to the big screen. Despite spawning a sequel in 1989, Swamp Thing failed to match the commercial success or cult following of similar contemporary films like Friday the 13th and A Nightmare On Elm Street. The 2019 Swamp Thing series, although quite accurate to the character's tone and design, was also dead on arrival. But now, James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Universe has the chance not only to make Swamp Thing a popular hero but also make his movie a game-changing superhero release.
Swamp Thing’s Dark Tone Can Make It A True Superhero Horror Movie
The new DC Universe aims to avoid the issues that killed the DCEU. This involves getting every character's tone right from the get go. So, just like James Gunn's upcoming Superman: Legacy is expected to honor Superman's lighthearted stories, Swamp Thing can lean into the character's dark nature to create a movie that belongs to the horror genre as much as it belongs to the superhero genre. By taking inspiration from horror films such as John Carpenter's The Thing and David Cronenberg's The Fly, the upcoming Swamp Thing could be a full-fledged horror movie centered around a character who just happens to become a superhero later down the line.
James Gunn already proved he understands the importance of a well-defined tone and the huge influence different genres can have on a movie. Not only did Gunn had a hand in establishing the MCU's brand of humor and expanding its cosmic side with Guardians of the Galaxy, but he also injected genuine horror and R-rated elements on his Scooby-Doo scripts and showcased his passion for horror in his 2006 directorial debut Slither. Together with Peter Safran — producer of The Conjuring universe — James Gunn can guarantee Swamp Thing is true to its horror roots.
Swamp Thing Will Need To Prove How Different DC Universe Movies Will Be
As a horror movie based on a comic book, Swamp Thing could help the DC Universe stand out from an ocean of superhero movies that don't dare to explore other genres. Swamp Thing would set the precedent that every movie and show in the DC Universe takes enough freedom to experiment with different tones and get the most out of every source of inspiration, be it horror, comedy, sci-fi, or classic comic book extravaganza. By becoming the most tonally unique DC movie, Swamp Thing could prove that every DC Universe movie can be completely different from the rest, thus keeping audiences on their toes and making eventual crossovers more exciting.
