20 years on from its release, the director of V for Vendetta knows there is still one superhero adaptation fans need. Released to critical and fan acclaim in 2006, V for Vendetta was both a product of its time, and also incredibly prescient. V for Vendetta was adapted from the graphic novel by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. The Wachowskis, still riding high from The Matrix series, co-wrote the film with director James McTeigue.
The film had something of a troubled history. V for Vendetta was James McTeigue’s debut as a director, after years of working in the Australian film industry. The movie was originally scheduled to debut the eve of Guy Fawkes Day 2005, but was moved back several months in response to the London terrorist attacks earlier that year. This did not hurt the film’s momentum: it was still the topic of conversation among both fans and television talking heads. Critics of the time saw it as an indictment of post-9/11 America, and particularly policies such as the PATRIOT Act.
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In his seminal work V for Vendetta, author Alan Moore sought to portray the fascist antagonists as complex, multi-dimensional, if banal, characters.
Now, 20 years later, McTeigue is making the rounds, discussing the film’s place in history. Even though the film version of V for Vendetta was indeed a response to the politics of the era, its themes continue to resonate in 2026. In one particular interview, McTeigue cited a DC icon as most deserving of a live-action adaptation.
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Speaking with Sami DeMonster on DC Comics’ blog, McTeigue reflected on the film’s success, and how it continues to find new fans 20 years later. McTeigue was then asked if he was a comic book reader, and if so, what character would he most like to adapt to a feature film.
McTeigue cited Swamp Thing as the DC character he would most like to bring to life, saying it “would be interesting.” The director, who would go on to helm films such as Ninja Assassin and The Raven, also cited Charles Burns’ Black Hole as another property he enjoyed, and mentioned David Fincher’s aborted attempt to create a live action version of the body horror classic.
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Swamp Thing is a pillar of DC Comics’ supernatural/magical corner. Debuting in the early 1970s, and created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson, Swamp Thing quickly became a fan favorite character. His first solo title ran throughout the decade, and he has never been out of circulation in the DC Universe for too long.
Swamp Thing debuted in House of Secrets #92, in 1971.
The definitive run on Swamp Thing also ranks as one of the best in comics, bar none. Alan Moore took over the title with issue 20. At the time, Moore was unknown to American comic readers, and DC, believing the book would soon be canceled, gave the young writer free rein to do whatever he wanted. Moore took advantage of this freedom by reimagining Swamp Thing from the ground up. Over the next four years, Alan Moore and his artistic collaborators changed the trajectory of American comics in their take on Swamp Thing.
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Saga of the Swamp Thing, the book Moore was given total freedom over, existed only because of a movie starring the Plant Elemental. Swamp Thing’s cult status, coupled with his horror-tinged origins, made the character ripe for some sort of live-action version. In 1982, horror maestro Wes Craven released the first filmed take on Swamp Thing. Starring Dick Durock as Swamp Thing and Ray Wise as Alec Holland, the film was a commercial failure, but like its hero, found a cult following.
Despite bombing at the box office, Swamp Thing spawned a sequel that was lighter in tone and released in 1989, as well as a spin-off TV series airing on the USA Network in the early 1990s, which saw Durock reprise his role as Swamp Thing. The show ran for three seasons.
In addition to the live-action series, Swamp Thing starred in a short-lived Saturday morning cartoon.
Swamp Thing would make one more pass on television. In 2019, Swamp Thing debuted on DC Universe, which was also a streaming platform at the time. The show, unlike previous live-action outings, leaned full tilt into the character’s mythology. Not only did Swamp Thing star its titular hero, but other DC supernatural characters as well, such as Blue Devil, the Phantom Stranger and Madame Xanadu. Unfortunately, the show was canceled due to tax reasons, despite being highly acclaimed by fans and critics.
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After Swamp Thing’s television show went off the air, it seemed the prospects of ever seeing the character on screen again diminished greatly. That is, until James Gunn took over as co-head of DC Studios. DC’s film division had been struggling to find its footing, and Gunn was brought in to provide a sense of direction. Gunn already had experience with DC movies, having directed The Suicide Squad as well as The Peacemaker series.
When James Gunn unveiled the initial slate of films from his revamped DC Universe, Swamp Thing was among them, taking his place alongside other icons like Superman, Batman and Green Lantern.
When James Gunn unveiled the initial slate of films from his revamped DC Universe, Swamp Thing was among them, taking his place alongside other icons like Superman, Batman and Green Lantern. Gunn did not state if this new take on Swamp Thing would be a television series or a live-action film. There has been little movement on actually making the movie since Gunn’s announcement. At one point, Logan director James Mangold expressed interest, but nothing has come of it since.
No reason has been given for why the DCU Swamp Thing film has stalled. It is worth noting that only two of the initially announced projects have been released so far: Superman and Creature Commandos, with Supergirl and Lanterns joining them later this summer. Other projects that were included in Gunn’s first outing included: The Authority, Booster Gold and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. There has been no news on any of these properties either.
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While all the characters and teams Gunn included in his announcement are ripe for films, Swamp Thing may be the most deserving of them all. Past live-action Swamp Thing efforts, except for the 2019 series, failed to utilize the extensive lore that has built up around the character. Doctor Arcane, his nemesis, was in the films and television shows, but many of Swamp Thing’s other supporting characters were absent.
Since Wes Craven’s Swamp Thing graced screens in 1982, the character’s mythos has exploded. Moore introduced the Parliament of the Trees and the concept of the Green, all of which elevated Swamp Thing. Moore and his artists transformed Swamp Thing from just another monster into a god-like being. Under Moore, Swamp Thing learned to realize his potential, and now it is time for filmmakers to do the same with the character.
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Split image of movie Swamp Thing and DCU Superman suit reveal imageImage By Zoe Miskelly
James McTeigue connected Swamp Thing to another classic horror comic: the aforementioned Black Hole by Charles Burns. Released in 2004, Black Hole was a full-on body horror story, mixed in with teen angst. Just like Black Hole, Swamp Thing traffics in the genre, be it the character himself or Doctor Arcane’s Un-Men. V for Vendetta director James McTeigue is correct: Swamp Thing is ripe for a film version that realizes what the character is capable of doing.