Earlier this year, HBO Max announced several DC Comics adaptations, including Green Lantern and Justice League Dark. Now the news is out that a Justice League Dark television show will be developed by J.J. Abrams as part of his deal with WarnerMedia including his production company Bad Robot. After years of hearing Justice League Dark brought up in conversation, it is great to finally see things move forward and out of the development hell the property was stuck in.
Justice League Dark in Development Hell
Over the last 8 years, horror genre filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has kept fans updated about a Justice League Dark film he was working on. Whether it be providing a glimpse of the story bible being completed to discussing the film’s place in the DC Extended Universe, co-existing with the Constantine television series, fans grew excited with each new tidbit that came their way. At one point, a script was even completed and handed off to Warner Bros.
But by the end of these infrequent updates, it seems that del Toro’s schedule did not permit him to be involved and despite Doug Liman being announced as director for the film later on, things still fell apart.
Return of Swamp Thing
Last year, the tv series Swamp Thing debuted on the streaming service DC Universe, starring the supernatural plant-elemental creature the show is named after. But before the 10th and final episode of season 1 was even released, it was announced that the show had been canceled.
Creative differences had reduced the series episode order from 13 to 10 episodes, and the show was ultimately doomed due to budgets falling short of expectations after the state tax rebates by the state of North Carolina were significantly reduced.
Now in the DC Universe, Swamp Thing joins the team in issue 19 of their first volume which began in 2011 as part of the New 52 initiative. Despite being in publication for less than a decade, fans and studio execs still want to see this team of supernatural defenders properly adapted for film or television.
Hopefully, Swamp Thing can find his rightful place on the HBO Max series and J.J. Abrams answers the pleas of fans who miss Big Green (like me).
HBO Max is launching May 2020. Stay tuned as Dorkaholics provides updates on Justice League Dark and the other DC adaptations in the works.
