Swamp Thing James Wan is bringing Swamp Thing to DC's streaming service!

[flickchick85]

The plot thickens!

 

[Pennywise]

‘Swamp Thing’ Cancellation Coverage Muddied By Tall Tales Of Tax Snafu – Deadline

Born on the bayou? More like born yesterday. That’s how some fan sites and entertainment news outlets were probably feeling after repeating a Twitter-spawned explanation for the abrupt cancellation of Swamp Thing, the DC Universeseries that premiered last Friday only to be uprooted six days later.

The series of tweets by Austin writer and cartoonist John Gholson blamed the show’s demise on a colossal tax credits snafu in North Carolina that drained the show’s budget by withholding the $40 million infusion of greenbacks that Warner Bros had been counting on.

The report was just detailed enough to sound credible so plenty of sites pounced on information, but all of it turned out to be a solid as swamp water and twice as muddy.

Guy Gasser, director of the North Carolina Film Office, said the report’s description of a tax-transaction trapdoor opening up under the fledgling series doesn’t match the facts. The numbers were way off, too, by citing a tax credit sum ($40 million) that not only exceeds the maximum payment per season for any production (which is $12 million), but it also exceeds the NC Film Office’s entire annual budget ($31 million).

Very specific contracts lock every detail of the deal in place in advance of filming, so a blind-side surprise (which Gholson describes) is an especially unlikely scenario, Gasser said.

Gholson, meanwhile, eventually returned to the Twitter debate but sounded like someone who knew his insider swamp knowledge was all mucked-up. “I don’t even understand some of it,” he tweeted. “Maybe my numbers are off, but it’s still a matter of money.”

The second episode of Swamp Thing was added to the DC Universe streaming site today, and eight more weekly episodes are on the way. The season finale (which is now the series finale) will be released August 2.

In all the episodes, the setting for the action is an eerie Louisiana, where a small-town is beset by supernatural threats, a mysterious bio-hazard, and the dangerous machinations of greedy locals. In every scene, however, the stand-in for the mossy Bayou State is none other than North Carolina, one of many that incentivize film productions with tax credit programs. And it was that Carolina program Gholson blamed for Swamp Thing’squick hook, a report that traveled far and wide in the echo chamber of contemporary entertainment coverage.

Swamp Thing cancellation did seem surprising to many observers given the well-reviewed pilot and the imported imprimatur of executive producer James Wan, who is coming off his Aquamantriumph and enjoys a Midas touch reputation for horror projects.

The unexpected result seemed to demand an unusual cause, and Gholson’s tweet provided it. Still, to Gasser’s eye, the report was skimpy even at first glance but that didn’t stop it from taking root.

“Some outlets used an unverified source, but if they even went straight to Twitter, where the report apparently first started, they would have found that the gentleman had nothing to back up his own claim,” Gasser said. “He has certainly retracted some of what he was saying and now it appears that Twitter may ban him with all of this happening. I guess all I can say is I’m glad he’s passionate about a show filmed in our state.”

Gasser said the Swamp Thing production has been in the good graces of the North Carolina film program since Day One and vice versa.

“It’s been positive,” Gasser said. “We’ve worked with Warner Bros overall on many projects and certainly this looks, with their initial information filing, like they have fulfilled all of their requirements for our program and we will fulfill ours once all that has been verified following their audit with this. Look, we would love for the series to continue and to continue employing North Carolinians to help make the show.”

Some facts for the record, all from Gasser: The North Carolina Film Office gets a grand total of $31 million a year to pay out to qualifying productions who apply and qualify. Swamp Thing was awarded “just north of $4.9 million” for its pilot. The filming of the remainder of Season 1 took the approved payout up to the $12 million maximum (which was set by the state legislation that created the economic outreach program).

Gasser said the state’s officials had no advance notice that the show was being snuffed.

“We found out just like everybody else,” Gasser said. “Yes, it was a disappointment. It comes with the business. We don’t necessarily get insights in advance…sometime if a show is renewed sometimes we found out in advance of the studio announcement, but with cancellations we usually found out with everybody else.”

Gasser said any TV pilot or season that films in the Tar Heel State is considered a victory, so it would be inaccurate to say officials view Swamp Thing as a dashed opportunity much less a fall-short failure.

“We treat each season of each series as its own stand-alone project,” Gasser said. “And from that standpoint it appears that Warner Bros have lived up to their end of the deal. We have the funds set aside and one the verification has taken place the check will be cut for them.”

Gasser also confirmed that North Carolina has talented film and TV professionals but, according to the most recent census, no actual muck-monsters. “The show’s fictional setting is in Louisiana, so you might inquire with my colleagues down there about the presence of swamp monsters,” he said.

That sucks!!

 

[OutOfBoose]

Episode 2 was great, but I still don't get why shows like Titans or Swamp Thing need to be ultra-violent like this.

 

[Iceman]

Episode 2 was great, but I still don't get why shows like Titans or Swamp Thing need to be ultra-violent like this.

I’d be fine if they dialled it back from ultra to regular violent level. That excess feels unnecessary.

 

[OutOfBoose]

I’d be fine if they dialled it back from ultra to regular violent level. That excess feels unnecessary.

Agree. I'm not against violence if the goal is to give it a bit more realism, but it feels like it's there for the sake of it. I don't think it adds anything to the shows. Just poor taste and edgelordism. You can certainly use ultra-violence in artistic way, like in RoboCop, for example. Or keep it gritty like in Terminator or Matrix films. Here it seems out of place and unnecessary indeed.

 

[Monsieur Xavier]

A bit of gore/horror now and then doesn't hurt, it fits with the show if you ask me.

 

[Dr.]

‘Swamp Thing’ Cancellation Coverage Muddied By Tall Tales Of Tax Snafu – Deadline

Interesting little write-up on how bad info can quickly spread on social media. So tax rebate shenanigans weren’t the cause of Swamp Thing’s cancellation. What’s missing from the article, though, is why DCU did pull the plug (after steaming only one episode).

 

[-Arya-]

Episode 2 was great, but I still don't get why shows like Titans or Swamp Thing need to be ultra-violent like this.

Swamp Thing is a mature rated comicbook. The violence is inherent in the property. Titans isn’t a mature rated comic book so the violence in that show is most certainly unnecessary and out of place.

 

[OutOfBoose]

Swamp Thing is a mature rated comicbook. The violence is inherent in the property. Titans isn’t a mature rated comic book so the violence in that show is most certainly unnecessary and out of place.

There's mature and there's unnecessary. Both Titans and Swamp Thing have very similar kind of violence: excessively gruesome for no damn reason.

 

[-Arya-]

There's mature and there's unnecessary. Both Titans and Swamp Thing have very similar kind of violence: excessively gruesome for no damn reason.

Again, if the source material has a set tone, then it makes sense for the adaptation to follow that tone. Swamp Thing *is* violent in the comics therefore the show-runners are justified with the tone of the show. Doom Patrol *is* violent and expletive in the comics therefore the showrunners were justified in making the show the way it was. Teen Titans *is not* violent or edgy therefore the show runners on Titans are not justified.

 

[OutOfBoose]

Again, if the source material has a set tone, then it makes sense for the adaptation to follow that tone. Swamp Thing *is* violent in the comics therefore the show-runners are justified with the tone of the show. Doom Patrol *is* violent and expletive in the comics therefore the showrunners were justified in making the show the way it was. Teen Titans *is not* violent or edgy therefore the show runners on Titans are not justified.

You're missing the point. But whatever.

 

[-Arya-]

You're missing the point. But whatever.

I know your point. You think the violence is unnecessary and that’s fine. I’m just letting you know the difference between Titans and Swamp Thing.

 

[flickchick85]

I honestly barely noticed the gore in this show and it didn’t feel excessive to me here at all, unlike Titans. *shrug*

 

[Monsieur Xavier]

Bottom line : best to not mess with The Green.

 

[Dr.]

Teen Titans *is not* violent or edgy therefore the show runners on Titans are not justified.

Granted, there was not (apparently) precedent for an R-rated (Teen) Titans. But by the “logic” of the “shared universe” concept, such a version can be rationalized. I.e., a mature interpretation of Batman (which is fairly standard nowadays) would oblige a mature interpretation of Dick Grayson; and, in turn, a subsequent Grayson team-up with the Titans would follow the same course.

 

[-Arya-]

Granted, there was not (apparently) precedent for an R-rated (Teen) Titans. But by the “logic” of the “shared universe” concept, such a version can be rationalized. I.e., a mature interpretation of Batman (which is fairly standard nowadays) would oblige a mature interpretation of Dick Grayson; and, in turn, a subsequent Grayson team-up with the Titans would follow the same course.

No, because Bruce and Dick are not the same person. This is like saying Bruce and Clark inhabit the same universe so Batman and Superman should be similarly “mature”. The best thing about a shared universe are the clashes of different ideals and personalities.

 

[Flash525]

Well this news sucks, cause the show has (had?) potential. It frustrates me when shows like this get cancelled when other rubbish gets to continue on and on.

Will be interesting if/when to know the real reason behind this cancellation.

 

[KaijuDude1992]

Yep another really solid episode and you can really tell that they spent money on this show. Everything from the practical effects to the costume and production design is superb. It really sucks that its getting cancelled so early, but I will continue watching this season since I'm already completely hooked.

 

[Yowza]

I just read on cbm that the mods on dc universe are now cleaning up threads pertaining to talking about website shutdown and I'd be willing to bet any controversy surrounding this . They're sticking to PR of no website shutdown until actually happens deflecting this whole business concerning this show. It seems kind of disrespectful misleading cast and crew citing fake reason get them off set. At least they're not making them wait around at all from getting other work though.

There's definitely some other aspects to this story I'd be willing to wager.

 

[Flash525]

Maybe in an odd twist of events, the people behind Titans, Doom Patrol, Krypton (etc) realised how much Swamp Thing had going for it, and petitioned against it's renewal cause it was going to make them look bad?

 

[Monsieur Xavier]

One can only hope.

 

[Pennywise]

I am going to keep watching these 10 episodes!

 

[Dr.]

No, because Bruce and Dick are not the same person. This is like saying Bruce and Clark inhabit the same universe so Batman and Superman should be similarly “mature”. The best thing about a shared universe are the clashes of different ideals and personalities.

Yes, I understand that Bruce and Dick aren’t the same character. But within a single narrative continuity, one would (or at least could) expect tonal consistency. And since Batman is a “dark and edgy” vigilante who regularly beats the bejesus out of criminals, it’s not a great stretch to imagine his protégé - in a derivative narrative - following suit.

To be sure, the same material can be interpreted for different audiences. Thus, Robin Hood may be an anthropomorphic fox in a Disney movie or the grounded and gritty Ridley Scott version. Likewise, Wolverine appears in family-friendly cartoons as well as the R-rated Logan.

Moreover, there are certain characters who are intrinsically family friendly. So a “dark and edgy” take on (say) Huey, Dewey and Louie is probably inappropriate. But within the extant Batman catalog, one of Batman's apprentices has been murdered and another was gruesomely maimed. So it’d be tough to argue that an adult-rated spinoff is misrepresenting the lighthearted tone of the source material.

 

[lespaul59]

I just read on cbm that the mods on dc universe are now cleaning up threads pertaining to talking about website shutdown and I'd be willing to bet any controversy surrounding this . They're sticking to PR of no website shutdown until actually happens deflecting this whole business concerning this show. It seems kind of disrespectful misleading cast and crew citing fake reason get them off set. At least they're not making them wait around at all from getting other work though.

There's definitely some other aspects to this story I'd be willing to wager.

I can't confirm or deny that they're doing this but they did delete two threads I posted in Friday night, I even double checked today to make sure I didn't over look them. To be fair to the DCU mods one thread had gotten to the point where people were calling people whiners because they're canceling their membership because Swamp Thing was cancelled. The other thread was to do with ST being cancelled because of money. Also a DCU mod confirmed that there was no accounting error from North Carolina.

 

[Yowza]

I can't confirm or deny that they're doing this but they did delete two threads I posted in Friday night, I even double checked today to make sure I didn't over look them. To be fair to the DCU mods one thread had gotten to the point where people were calling people whiners because they're canceling their membership because Swamp Thing was cancelled. The other thread was to do with ST being cancelled because of money. Also a DCU mod confirmed that there was no accounting error from North Carolina.

Thanks for the update on this. I do wonder if they'll actually go so far as to start banning a lot of people posting about this eventually.

Hopefully, this show if really well received can get another chance at some point on a different platform.