Swamp Thing, which originally aired on DC Universe, is unlikely to find new life at the CW. The series follows Abby Arcane (Crystal Reed), who returns to her hometown in Louisiana to investigate a deadly swamp-born virus. There, she encounters a mysterious creature, the Swamp Thing (Derek Mears), imbued with the memories of disgraced scientist Alec Holland. The show explores the mystery of the swamp as the titular hero, who wields control over plants and possesses regenerative abilities to protect his habitat and the natural world.

Despite favorable reviews, DC Universe abruptly canceled the series shortly after its premiere in April 2019. The fledgling streaming service itself only lasted a little more than a year beyond that, with an announcement in the summer of 2020 that its original programming (including Harley Quinn, Titans, Doom Patrol, and Young Justice) would migrate to Warner Bros. other new streaming service, HBO Max. Meanwhile, when COVID-19 interrupted television production, the CW, home to DC’s most successful multiverse to date, turned to Swamp Thing to fill in the programming gaps in its schedule.

Related: Why Swamp Thing Is What The CW Needs Right Now

Although Swamp Thing enjoyed some success at the CW, TV Line reported that a second season probably won’t be forthcoming. Pointing out that the sets are "long gone" and any cast contract has since expired, sources indicated that "all signs point to a Season 2 not happening, anywhere." The way the series was originally quickly canceled and with little warning was also indicated as a deterring factor in bringing back the show.

Swamp Thing sitting in the woods

The reasons for Swamp Thing’s cancellation in the first place were somewhat opaque at the time, with some suggesting that tax incentives were rescinded by the state of North Carolina where the series was filmed. This was later debunked, with it being reported that lack of belief in the material from higher-ups as well as the studio’s unwillingness to pay "millions" to store the show’s physical sets were the reasons behind cancelation. Though CW president Mark Pedowitz said he was "not ruling out" renewing Swamp Thing, it would likely be a difficult negotiation with WB higher-ups to revive the long-dead series.

While this is only the final nail in the coffin of a series that has now been off the air for nearly two years, it’s still a disappointment to lose Swamp Thing from DC’s television line up. The horror-infused comic book content marked a distinct departure from DCTV’s other fare. Much like HBO Max’s odd duck Doom Patrol, the strikingly different tone of Swamp Thing expanded the possibilities of what superhero content can look like on the small screen.

Additionally, while the Arrowverse has set the standard for superhero series on broadcast TV, Swamp Thing’s ratings success on the CW proves there’s an appetite for darker stories, as well as exploring less well-known characters from the DC canon. Hopefully, though we may not see the Swamp Thing himself any time soon, DC paid attention to what worked in the ill-fated series.

Next: How Titans Could Redeem DC’s Swamp Thing

Source: TV Line