The new live action TV series Swamp Thing has been cancelled by DC less than a week after the first episode premiered.
Swamp Thing was based on the comicbook character originally created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson, and told the story of CDC specialist Abby Arcane, played by Crystal Reed, who returned to her hometown to analyse a strange epidemic stemming from the local swamp.
Abby met Alec Holland (Andy Bean), who also hoped to solve the mystery of the swamp, but after a run-in with powerful locals his body fused with the marsh, turning him into – you guessed it – the Swamp Thing, a character actually played by Derek Mears.
The official synopsis reads:
Swamp Thing follows Abby Arcane as she investigates what seems to be a deadly swamp-born virus in a small town in Louisiana but soon discovers that the swamp holds mystical and terrifying secrets. When unexplainable and chilling horrors emerge from the murky marsh, no one is safe.
The show sounds like it would have been a hit for comicbook fans, and in fact reviews were quite positive, but it seems DC decided to pull the rug out on the project before it even really took off.
One disappointed fan wrote:
I feel bad for the cast and crew of #SwampThing
Screw the execs for cancelling it all because THEY didn’t like it. Nevermind the fact that critics and audience loved it.
The pilot episode only aired on the DC Universe streaming service last Friday, but now it has been cancelled altogether, Entertainment Weekly report.
The first season of Swamp Thing was meant to be 13 episodes long, however production was halted after just 10 episodes. According to The Hollywood Reporter, sources said creative differences were the cause of the reduced run.
The rest of the season is set to run its course on the DC streaming service, but that’s where things will end between Swamp Thing and DC.
The decision seemingly boils down to WarnerMedia and AT&T executives not liking the direction of the show, though it’s unclear what exactly they were disapproving of. One source told Geeks Worldwide an executive wanted it to be more like CW shows.
Cast and crew were reportedly told of the decision late last night.
While those who enjoyed the first episode of the show will no doubt be disappointed, at least they’ll be able to enjoy the few instalments which remain.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.