Every week it seems as if a new streaming service launches, and with that kind of competition some are going to fall by the wayside. Could DC Universe be the first major one to bite the dust? Today’s news definitely isn’t a good sign, as production on the Swamp Thing series has suddenly been halted with only 10 episodes out of 13 completed.
The news comes from a local outlet in North Carolina where the series is being filmed:
“The currently in-production project is being shut down earlier than expected as its producer, Warner Bros., evaluates the future of its DC Universe streaming service, on which the series was scheduled to premiere May 31, according to several sources within the local industry.”
Further reporting is that Warner Bros. is cutting costs on the entire DC Universe service as they decide on its fate. The final episode will be rewritten in a way that will hopefully satisfy those who stick with the show, even though they won’t be getting the full 13 episodes as promised.
I’m a little surprised by this only because the service is so new, having launched last October. There were a couple of buzzy titles in Titans and Doom Patrol, which seemed like a springboard for greater things. Swamp Thing even has the backing of Aquaman director James Wan, who has been a hit-maker with everything he’s done. The digital comics and classic library were cool, but clearly they aren’t enough of a draw to attract more than a niche audience. I certainly don’t know anybody who subscribes.
It’s unclear what this means for other announced DC Universe projects, such as the animated Stargirl and second season of Titans. Swamp Thing is still expected to be released on May 31st.
