Swamp Thing (DCEU)

**Swamp Thing** is an American horror television series based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It is retroactively included to be part of the fictional continuity known as the DC Extended Universe. The series is developed by Gary Dauberman & Mark Verheiden for the streaming service DC Universe.

## Premise

Abby Arcane returns home to Marais, Louisiana, to investigate a deadly swamp-borne virus, where she develops a bond with disgraced scientist Alec Holland. After Holland tragically dies, Abby discovers the mysteries of the swamp and that Holland might not be dead after all.

## Cast and Characters

### Main

* **Abigail “Abby” Arcane** (portrayed by Cristal Reed) is a CDC doctor investigating a horrific, life-threatening epidemic in her hometown while facing her past again.
	+ Melissa Collazo portrays teenage Abby.
* **Avery Sunderland** (portrayed by Will Patton) is a prominent businessman in Marais, who, while publicly giving back to the community, is determined to harness the power of the swamp for profit as a pharmaceutical cornucopia. He was also the adoptive parent to Abby Arcane after her mother died.
* **Swamp Thing** (portrayed by Derek Mears) is a plant-based entity created from the memories of Alec Holland. Possessing elemental control of vegetation and regenerative abilities, he attempts to defend the swamp, the town, and the natural world at large.
	+ **Alec Holand** (portrayed by Andy Bean) is a disgraced biologist working for Avery. Murdered when he starts to uncover an illegal operation in the swamp, his memories survive inside Swamp Thing.
* **Maria Sunderland** (portrayed by Virginia Marsden) is the wife of Avery Sunderland, whose grief over the loss of her daughter, Shawna, resurfaces when Abby returns home, and draws Maria into the supernatural mysteries of the swamp.
* **Matt Cable** (portrayed by Henderson Wade) is a police officer along with his mother, Lucilia, who finds himself in dire straits when supernatural events begin to threaten the town. He is also a childhood friend of Abby.
* **Liz Tremayne** (portrayed by Maria Sten) is a local newspaper reporter and bartender who is a close childhood friend of Abby Arcane.
* **Xanadu/Nimue Inwudu** (portrayed by Jeryl Prescott) is a blind fortune-teller whose psychic abilities can reveal the future.
* **Lucilia Cable** (portrayed by Jennifer Beals) is the “tough as nails and pragmatic” sheriff of Marais with a strong devotion to her son, Matt.
* **Jason Woodrue** (portrayed by Kevin Durand) is a biogeneticist, brought in to study the properties of the swamp, leading him to become fixated on unlocking its potential.

### Recurring

* **Harlan Edwards** (portrayed by Leonardo Nam) is a CDC specialist who is Abby's second-in-command.
* **Susie Coyle** (portrayed by Elle Graham) is a young girl, who is diagnosed with “Green Flu”, appears to have a mysterious connection to Swamp Thing, and befriends Abby.
* **Shawna Sunderland** (portrayed by Given Sharp) is Abby's childhood friend and Maria and Avery's deceased daughter, who appears in both flashbacks and as a ghost to her mother Maria.
* **Blue Devil/Daniel Cassidy** (portrayed by Ian Ziering) is a former stuntman who, after becoming semi-famous playing the demonic Blue Devil in a film, looks to regain his former fame.
* **Caroline Woodrue** (portrayed by Selena Anduze) is a scientist and Jason Woodrue's wife who has Alzheimer's disease.
* **Phantom Stranger** (portrayed by Macon Blair).
* **Delroy Tremayne** (portrayed by Al Mitchell) is Liz's father.
* **Nathan Ellery** (portrayed by Michael Beach).

### Guest

* **Jones** (portrayed by RJ Cyler).
* **Dr. Chowodury** (portrayed by Tim Russ) is a doctor at the Marais hospital.
* **The Rot/Munson** (portrayed by Micah Fitzgerald).
* **Dr. Palomar** (portrayed by Adrienne Barbeau) is the assistant director of the CDC.
	+ Barbeau previously appeared in the 1982 film adaptation of *Swamp Thing* as Alice Cable, an amalgamation of Abby Arcane and Matt Cable.
* **Shaw** (portrayed by Jake Busey).

## Trivia

* Despite being released on DC Universe, the series does not exist in the same fictional universe as the service's other live-action series, including *Titans* (2018-2023) and *Doom Patrol* (2019-2023).
* On June 6, 2019, the series was canceled one week after its premiere aired.
* In 2020, The CW acquired the broadcast rights to the series.
* In reality, by the time of this edit, – September 21, 2023, – HBO Max does not plan to acquire the broadcast rights to *Swamp Thing*.
* Ironically, *Swamp Thing* is the best show developed for the DC Universe streaming service.
* Before the cancellation of the *Swamp Thing* series, there were plans to introduce Justice League Dark and create a spin-off series based on that team. The spin-off series would have likely been a project separate from Guillermo del Toro's film featuring the same team.
* If HBO Max could acquire the broadcast rights to the series, it could be disconnected from the Arroweverse, since the show was not utilized for the franchise outside of cameos via archival footage. Therefore, it would have been retroactively connected to the DCEU, and a spin-off series called *Justice League Dark* (2027-2031) would have been developed by Guillermo del Toro, bringing the plans to full circle.

## Media

### Videos

Swamp Thing - Full Trailer - DC Universe - The Ultimate MembershipDC's Swamp Thing Opening Titles - Intro - Main Theme