A new Swamp Thing movie has been in the works for years now, the project announced as part of the Gods and Monsters slate that was first revealed in early 2023, but forward motion has been a bit slow. James Mangold signed on to helm the film shortly after it was announced, but his focus then pivoted to the Oscar-nominated Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, and he has also since signed on to make an upcoming Star Wars movie. The production appears to still be in very early stages, but one star who is very much hoping to get in on the ground floor and play the lead in the horror blockbuster is Vincent D'Onofrio.
Obviously, the Full Metal Jacket star has made quite an impression on Marvel fans bringing to life Wilson Fisk a.k.a. The Kingpin in Daredevil and Daredevil: Born Again, but while on a panel at L.A. Comic Con this weekend, he spoke about his desire to play Swamp Thing and why he has a passion for the character. Said D'Onofrio,
I’ve always been attracted to people that are broken, and he’s like, broken. He’s not only heartbroken, but his whole life is broken into a million pieces. And it’s like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. He’s not attractive, he lives in a swamp, it’s tough, you know? And he’s in love, and that’s an incredible thing.
Comic book fans know Swamp Thing as a powerful albeit tragic figure, and letting a talent like Vincent D'Onofrio access those depths would surely result in some incredible cinema. The character has a god-like connection with nature, but he is perceived as a monster and kept at a distance from his former human life.
Incredible writers have brought the character to life on the page including the legendary Len Wein and Alan Moore, and Vincent D'Onofrio recalls being moved by the passion of the character's inner dialogue as he would read Swamp Thing comics as a young adult. Unfortunately, however, he doesn't think that his odds of actually ever getting to play the Avatar of the Green are all that high, adding,
Also, the narration, if you remember all the words, he was so emotional, at times so touching. I couldn’t believe it. I mean, by the time the run of Swamp Thing that I read — I was in my late 20s or 30s or something like that. I think it’s just his emotional life, I think is what’s attractive to me. I’m never going to get the chance to play it.
Exactly why D'Onofrio thinks he is out of the running for the role is unclear, but it's worth noting that DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran have been doing some very smart button pressing as of late, and if they properly recognize the actor's passion for playing the part, I wouldn't qualify the casting as an impossibility.
Swamp Thing does not yet have a release date on the schedule of upcoming DC movies, but our excitement for the blockbuster should assure you that we'll have news about updates coming your way here on CinemaBlend as soon as they are available. As for those of you who need a Vincent D'Onofrio fix, you can enjoy his latest turn as Wilson Fisk watching the first season of Daredevil: Born Again (available to stream with a Disney+ subscription) and join us in anticipating his forthcoming return to the powerful antagonist in the forthcoming Daredevil: Born Again Season 2.
