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July 3, 2002... Comic book writer Steven Grant let the cat out of the bag today, letting fans know in his latest Comic Book Resources column that a new Swamp Thing movie is now in development at Warner Bros. What should get comic book fans really excited is that writer Len Wein, one of the original creators of the comic book character, has been hired to write the screenplay and that Joel Silver (The Matrix) is producing the new film.
There has already been two Swamp Thing movies made: Wes Craven directed the first Swamp Thing back in 1982, followed by a more comedic, tongue-in-cheek sequel titled Return of the Swamp Thing in 1989. Both had little to do with the source material, making the Swamp Thing more of a one-dimensional superhero and dispensing with the character's complicated origin and colorful origins. As well, much of the comic's emphasis on horror was lost in the translation to celluloid, opting instead for action, explosions and, to the horror of fans of the real Swamp Thing, a romance with Heather Locklear. Seen another way, those cheesy Swamp Thing movies have about as much similarity with the comic book series as the campy 1960s Batman television series has with Tim Burton's Batman movie. Get the picture?
While today's annoucement of the new Swamp Thing flick doesn't mention much else except the involvement of Wein and Silver, Coming Attractions has learned from a highly-placed source that Wein's script will be very faithful to the continuity established in the DC Comics series and return the Swamp Thing back to his roots in dark horror. Wein's script will include material from both his own early issues of the Swamp Thing (which established the book's gothic atmosphere) as well as the highly acclaimed story run that British writer Alan Moore wrote for the series (which re-defined and rejuvinated the character's popularity in the mid-80s.) |
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