'Swamp Thing' Shuts Down Early As One Cast Member Suggests A Troubled Production [Updated]

Update: /Film has confirmed that Swamp Thing will keep its May 31, 2019 release date on DC Universe. Read more below.

DC Universe's Swamp Thing is reportedly ending production sooner than expected. The upcoming streaming series, based on the supernatural superhero created by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson, seems to have shut down production early amid behind-the-scenes troubles.

Local Wilmington, North Carolina news outlet WECT News broke the news that the Swamp Thing production has been shut down early, surprising cast and crew members who were informed of it Tuesday. WECT reports:

Cast and crew members got word of the changes during filming on Tuesday night. The reaction on the set was one of shock, said sources who did not want to be named.

The show was expected to film 13 episodes through May, right up to its scheduled premiere date on the new DC Universe streaming service on May 31, 2019. However, local news outlet Star News Online reports that crew members were told the project would wrap production on episode 10, three episodes before the end of the planned first season.  The Playlist adds that episode 10 would be rewritten as the final episode and bring the series to a "satisfying conclusion." Several more days of reshoots are expected for previously filmed episodes, but it's uncertain whether this will be the end of the series for good.

/Film has reached out to Warner Bros. for comment.

However, this news seems to have been confirmed by at least one cast member of Swamp Thing. Virginia Madsen, who stars in Swamp Thing as key antagonist Maria Sunderland, referred to the sudden Swamp Thing production shutdown in a now-deleted Instagram post, writing, "I'm beyond sad. What a terrible decision. We have been cut to the core by those who have never set foot into the Swamp. And despite the rule I am going to use the hashtag. #swampthing"

Star News Online reports that when the series signed on last fall, production intended to "put down roots" for multiple seasons, with the production occupying multiple sound stages and offices on the EUE/Screen Gems Studios lot and a massive swamp set on Stage 10, which included a water tank for filming. However, with filming being shuttered, it is not clear what the future of the show, or even of the DC Universe streaming service will be.

The Playlist reports that the fate of DC Universe is in question, despite only launching in October. As Swamp Thing is near-complete, Warner Bros. could potentially sell the series to a different network or streaming service, but it is unclear if that option is on the table.

So what does this mean for the future of the series? A truncated first season could hit the streaming service in May, but it sounds possible that Swamp Thing could get an early cancellation. Or perhaps the show will get pushed back and undergo a rehaul. We'll keep you updated as this unfolds.

Update: /Film has confirmed with a source close to production that though Swamp Thing's episode reduction was made for creative reasons, the series will still premiere on DC Universe on its original date of May 31.