The newDC Universemust follow both the successes and failures of the previous DCEU, and a recent development has suggested that the studio has learned a valuable lesson from the theatrical version ofJustice League. While some ofthe best DCEU movieswere truly great entries in the superhero cinema canon, it cannot be denied that the universe as a whole failed to match up with hopes for its prospective journey by its ending.With this in mind, it is good that co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran are keeping their filmmakers involved and in mind.
Some of the strongest comic book movies of all time have been unshakably the quality they were because of the directors involved with said project. James Gunn’s Guardians Of The Galaxy trilogy is a prime example of this, and it seems that he understands the importance of ensuring a strong directorial vision is held withupcoming DC releases. A new update from the recent February 2025 DC press event has helped to reiterate this point.
The DCU’s Swamp Thing Appears To Be Delayed Indefinitely Until Its Director Can Return
Director James Mangold Has Several Projects In The Works
Currently,the DCU’sSwamp Thingmovieseems to have been delayed indefinitely. The film was originally announced during the first slate reveal of the DCU, and not long after,Logandirector James Mangold signed on to helm the project.Mangold went into franchise problemswhen speaking withMovieWeb,where he revealed that, rather than as a franchise installment,he"would be viewing [Swamp Thing] as a very simple, clean, Gothic horror movie about this man/monster".This all sounded exciting, although it appears that production has stalled, with Gunn opening up at the 2025 DC event, stating:
Our writer director went off to make another little movie, [A] Complete Unknown, and we hope that he’ll come back to Swamp Thing when he’s ready, because again, that was one of those ones that we love him as a filmmaker, so we’re happy to wait for him. Swamp Thing is not integral to the larger story that we’re telling.
While it sounds likeSwamp Thingmay not be made for some time, it appears that DC still hopes to make the project. James Mangold is, however, a busy filmmaker.TheIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destinydirector is attached to aStar Warsfilm as well, and it is unclear which is a higher priority for the filmmaker.In addition, Mangold has tended to balance franchise filmmaking with smaller films. It may be some time before he does come back toSwamp Thing, although this possibility does say something positive about the new DC Studios.
Swamp Thing’s Delays Avoid It Mirroring The Controversial Changes 2017’s Justice League Underwent
The Theatrical Cut Of Justice League Was Considered A Disaster By Many
This update shows that DC is willing to be flexible with its timelines and with its filmmakers. This is a very positive update, especially after the DCEU’s complicated setup withJustice Leagueresulted in one of the more divisive releases in superhero history. When Snyder suffered a personal tragedy during the filming ofJustice League, he was forced to step away, but instead of delaying production to keep Snyder involved, Warner Bros. hired Joss Whedon to finish the film, leading to the controversial 2017 version of the movie.
Ultimately, Snyder and Whedon’s conflicting visions about whatJustice Leaguewas supposed to be appear to have played a considerable role in the original movie’s divisive reputation - something reinforced by the 2021 release ofZack Snyder’s Justice League, which was very different in several ways. WhileJustice Leaguecertainly had more pressure on it thanSwamp Thingseems to, the decision to wait for the director before going forward withSwamp Thingensures this kind of scenario repeating itself is avoided, and paints a promising picture for the road forward.
Why It’s Easier To Delay Swamp Thing Than It Would Have Been Justice League
The Entire Franchise Fortunately Does Not Depend On The Story Of Justice League
Within a larger universe, some films are more important than others to the ongoing story. Considering everything known aboutSwamp Thing, it is unlikely to be one of these films, especially as Mangold has already opened up about approaching it unlike a franchise film.With this in mind, it is much easier for DC Studios to delay the film, and to wait on Mangold to return.The director is passionate about the film, and it is not so important to the vision of the DCU that it must be released within a certain timeframe.
This also points to the importance of having universe-set films that are not essential to the story of that franchise. While the strength of a vital franchise such as the MCU can make movies likeCaptain Marvelperform even better than they would otherwise,a franchise being at a weak point can significantly harm otherwise very good movies.It is good to know that DC Studios is looking to make less integral films, and also to see that the studio is willing to let their filmmakers stay involved when they so desire.
The DC Universe has barely begun, butthe franchise has already shown a clear intent of doing things differently than the DCEU did.While the former franchise did some things right, the lackluster ending to the things definitely shows there’s room for improvement. Hopefully, this winds up allowing theDC Universeto craft the best version of the universe - and of each of their individual characters - that audiences have yet seen.
