Don’t get your hopes up from the headline, but James Mangold is in talks to direct the DCU Swamp Thing movie, per The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline, respectively. Nothing known is finalized, but what we do know about the Gods and Monsters chapter of James Gunn’s DC universe is that the film will be a horror movie.
According to Deadline, the Logan director has a deal on the table while he is in talks to helm the film. Even if the deal is signed, James Mangold will not immediately get to work on Swamp Thing, as Gunn has said no project would start production until a script is finished. Also, the filmmaker is preparing to release Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which will hit theaters on June 30, 2023.
Over the past few months since Gunn took over the creative side of DC, a slew of rumors have been shut down by him on Twitter. It may make people skeptical of these reports, but things get more interesting from there. Yesterday (January 31), James Mangold tweeted a picture from a Swamp Thing comic, which was retweeted by Gunn. What does this mean? Who knows, but it is too timely to be a coincidence. We will have to wait for official confirmation, but at least there is some confidence in him taking on the project.
DCU horror movie Swamp Thing may see James Mangold direct
— Mangold (@mang0ld) February 1, 2023
Gunn announced on the same day as the cryptic comic tweet by the Logan director a part of the shows and movies that will accompany the first chapter of the reboot of the DCU. He announced five shows and five movies, with confirmation that The Batman 2 and others will be Elseworld, an alternative universe to house non-canon stories. We will be expecting a Waller series with Viola Davis reprising her role, a Superman movie, and an adaption of Batman: The Brave and the Bold comic series.
James Mangold has proven himself to be ready for Swamp Thing by having superhero experience. He helmed Logan, the initial final film for Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, although the actor will reprise the iconic role for Deadpool 3.