‘Swamp Thing’ Canceled By DC Universe After 1 Season

The DC digital service, DC Universe, will not be picking up a second season of Swamp Thing, its drama series based on the DC characters created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson, according to sources. The series, which premiered on May 31,  hailed from James Wan’s Atomic Monster in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Like every other initiative, DC Universe is being reevaluated following the completion of AT&T acquisition of Time Warner as WarnerMedia has put an emphasis on the launch of a new streaming platform. There have been questions how DC Universe fits into those plans.

There already had been chatter that new leadership of WarnerMedia was not particularly high on Swamp Thing whose order was reduced from 13 to 10 episodes in April. The cancellation comes just one episode into the show’s run. The nine remaining episode will continue to air as schedule, with a new one debuting on DC Universe each Friday through the Aug 2 finale.

Swamp Thing was the third live-action series to launch on DC Universe, following Titans, which has been renewed for a second season, and Doom Patrol, which is awaiting word. Upcoming on the service is new drama series Stargirl.

Written by Mark Verheiden and It co-writer Gary Dauberman, Swamp Thing centers on CDC researcher Abby Arcane (Crystal Reed). When she returns to her childhood home in Louisiana, in order to investigate a deadly swamp-borne virus, she develops a surprising bond with scientist Alec Holland (Andy Bean) — only to have him tragically taken from her. But as powerful forces descend on her town, intent on exploiting the swamp’s mysterious properties for their own purposes, Abby will discover that the swamp holds mystical secrets, both horrifying and wondrous — and the potential love of her life may not be dead after all.

Virginia Madsen, Henderson Wade, Maria Sten, Jeryl Prescott and Will Patton co-starred.  Verheiden and Dauberman executive produced with Atomic Monster’s James Wan and Michael Clear, while the company’s Rob Hackett sered as co-producer.