The CW Drops Unexpected New Trailer

DC fans just got a green, swampy treat, courtesy of the CW.

The network just dropped a scintillating new trailer for Swamp Thing, which will make its broadcast debut on the network in October. The series, which was unceremoniously axed by streamer DC Universe just days after its premiere in May of last year, was picked up by the CW — the home of the interconnected Arrowverse of DC series — this past May.

The fate of Swamp Thing was particularly shocking given its pedigree. The first-ever horror series to be based on a DC property, the series was co-created by Gary Dauberman (who penned both of the It movies) and executive produced by James Wan, the mastermind behind the Conjuring Universe. The premiere episode scored rave reviews and had fans pumped for the rest of the season, but since the show got the axe immediately after the premiere, taking in the remainder of its episodes became an exercise in sadness.

Swamp Thing starred Andy Bean (It: Chapter Two) as Alec Holland, a biologist who is murdered by his employer, crooked businessman Avery Sunderland (Will Patton), when he uncovers illegal activity in a local swamp. Holland is mysteriously reborn as the Swamp Thing (Derek Mears), a humanoid beast composed of vegetable matter who has control over the swamp's vegetation. He attempts to help CDC physician Abby Arcane (Crystal Reed) get to the bottom of an epidemic that seems to be originating from the swamp.

The show's killer supporting cast also included Designated Survivor's Virginia Madsen, Malibu Rescue's Ian Ziering, The L Word's Jennifer Beals, frequent Jeremy Saulnier collaborator Macon Blair, and veteran actress Adrienne Barbeau, who appeared in director Wes Craven's 1982 Swamp Thing feature. With its lone season jumping over to the CW, fans could be forgiven for wondering: Might we possibly be getting more Swamp Thing?

Well, the short answer is, "maybe." As of right now, there are no plans to produce more episodes of Swamp Thing. The CW simply appears to be using the series as a bit of a stopgap, since the debut of all the new seasons of its Arrowverse series like The Flash, Supergirl, Batwoman, and Legends of Tomorrow have been shuffled off until 2021 due to the industry-wide production slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Broadcasting Swamp Thing will give the network at least one DC series — and a pretty darned good one, at that — to tide fans over until the Arrowverse makes its return.

One could, however, make the case that the show's original platform, the DC Universe streaming service, was itself a barrier to entry for many fans. The streamer is widely assumed to be on its way to Defunctsville, with its other hit live-action shows already finding new homes. Titans and Doom Patrol are currently available both on DC Universe and HBO Max, which will be both series' eventual home, and Stargirl has moved to the CW for its second season.

All things considered, it stands to reason that Swamp Thing could get another look from the CW if it performs well on the network, and its president, Mark Pedowitz, has conceded that a second season for the show is a possibility. "At the moment, it's just the one season," Pedowitz said on a conference call with the press back in May. "I do not know if it would come back. Obviously, that would be a discussion for Warner Bros. and the CW. But at this time, Swamp Thing is just the episodes we have" (via ComicBook).

We have a funny feeling that that particular door, having been left ever-so-slightly ajar, may get kicked wide open after Swamp Thing premieres on the CW, where it will hopefully find the audience it has always deserved. The 90-minute premiere will air on the network on Tuesday, October 6, 2020.