DC Universe’s live-action original seriesSwamp Thingis gearing up to go into murky, muddy production, finally announcing thatAndy Bean(It: Chapter 2) will lead the series as Dr. Alec Holland while formerFriday the 13thJason Voorhees actorDerek Mearswill portray Holland’s monstrous mutant alter-ego, Swamp Thing.
Here’s the official character description for Holland,courtesy of DC Universe:
“Passionate biologist Alec Holland is caught in the crosshairs of a small town nightmare when he discovers a bizarre local illness may be connected to his work in the swamp. Holland’s discovery leads him into conflict with dark forces, from which he emerges as the elemental hero known as Swamp Thing.”
And here’s the official description for the series' title creature:
“Emerging from the swamp with a monstrous physique and strange new powers over plant life, the man who was once Alec Holland struggles to hold onto his humanity. When dark forces converge on the town of Marais, Swamp Thing must embrace what he has become to defend the town as well as the natural world at large.”
Both Holland and Swamp thing first appeared in the pages of 1972’sSwamp Thing #1by writerLen Weinand artistBernie Wrightson. The dual character’s personality, origin, and abilities have changed over the years—although he’s almost always a Shrek-like,get-outta-mah-swamptype curmudgeon on some level—withAlan Moore’s iconic book-saving run in the 80’s providing the creature’s most oft-used background, which the TV series seems to be pulling from.
Bean is a pretty solid choice, coming off the appropriately horrificItsequel in which he plays the older version of Stan Uris (played byWyatt Oleffin the first film). But it’s Mears' cast that is truly exciting. A hulking physical presence, the actor is perfectly accustomed to bringing a sense of humanity to the decidedly inhuman; in addition to Jason Voorhees, Mears has appeared under prosthetics to play the OG Predator inShane Black’sThe Predatorand Moloc on Fox’sSleepy Hollowseries. (He also played a limo driver inPopstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, which is just kind’ve amazing.)
Swamp Thingwill premiere alongside a new batch of original content for DC’s streaming service in 2019 that also includesDoom PatrolandStargirl. The service already debutedTitans, which you couldcharitably say I did not enjoy. ButSwamp Thingis, at least,highlypromising. Not only does the source material actually lend itself to dark, brooding drama, but the series' pilot was co-written byAsh vs. Evil DeadEPMark VerheidenandThe NunscribeGary Dauberman.Len Wiseman—who helmed the pilots forSleepy HollowandLucifer—is set to direct, withThe ConjuringUniverse architectJames Wanattached as producer. That’s just a spooky good time right there.
