RUMOR: SWAMP THING Gets Cut Short, Future of DC Universe Streaming Service In Doubt?

Read Time:2 Minute, 48 Second

It’s long been rumored that the DC Universe streaming service has been struggling to find an audience. Murmurs hit the web a few months back that the subscription numbers for the service hadn’t met expectations, and some theorized it could get scrapped and rolled into another planned streamer on the way from WarnerMedia. Now, thanks to a report about Swamp Thing, we seem to have something solid to attach to the rumors that things aren’t going well for the DC Universe….

According to Star News Online, a local publication from North Carolina where the James Wan production has been under way since October, crew members were told yesterday morning that Swamp Thing would be shutting down early.

The site reported that the series’ first season would now be 10 episodes instead of 13, and that a new ending was being written in order to turn Episode 10 into the Season Finale.

This isn’t the first time a DC Universe show had its finale plans changed, as Titans found its first season cut short as well. Though that one was only by one episode.

What makes this Swamp Thing situation different is the way one of its stars reacted on social media. While the adjustment to Titans was somewhat minor, and with that series prepping an insanely ambitious second season, the cut episode didn’t cause much of a stir. But with Swamp Thing, it sounds like a much more stark, dramatic situation:

Virginia Madsen took to Instagram to post the above image of a mold of the titular character, with the following caption:

“I’m beyond sad. What a terrible decision. We have been cut to the core by those who have never set foot into the Swamp.“

That verbiage doesn’t make it sound like she, or anyone else working on the show, will be coming back for a second season. It almost sounds like Swamp Thing is now a mini-series, instead of a series expected to run for several seasons.

But that’s just speculation at this point.

For now, what we know is that Swamp Thing just had its final three episodes axed, it’s having its 10th episode reworked into an ending of sorts, and that reshoots are reportedly being scheduled for already-filmed episodes in order to set up the new finale.

Star News also implies that this is all linked to the DC Universe’s struggles, and that the streamer may shut down.

If that happens, Warner Bros and DC Entertainment would have a few options, including selling the first season of Swamp Thing (and other originals on the streamer) to another network, or simply making the DC Universe one of the channels/portals/sections within the WarnerMedia streaming service they’re working on with AT&T.

Personally, I think the latter option is way more likely.

Let’s see how this plays out, and how much of Star News’ reporting gets confirmed in the days to come. For all we know, this could all simply be a matter of the network being displeased with what they’ve seen of Swamp Thing so far and they’re simply pulling the plug on something they think has come off the rails in an attempt to cut their losses.

Keep your browser tuned to Revenge of The Fans as more details about Swamp Thing and the DC Universe becomes available!

SOURCE: Star News Online