“Swamp Thing” has found its… Swamp Thing, along with its human alter ego, Alec Holland.
Warner Bros. announced Tuesday that Derek Mears will portray Swamp Thing, while Andy Bean will play Holland. The two join a cast that includes Crystal Reed as Abby Arcane, Maria Sten as Liz Tremayne, and Jeryl Prescott as Madame Xanadu.
The character is described as emerging from the swamp with a monstrous physique and strange new powers over plant life, the man who was once Alec Holland struggles to hold onto his humanity. When dark forces converge on the town of Marais, Swamp Thing must embrace what he has become in order to defend the town as well as the natural world at large. Prior to his life as the elemental hero, Holland was a biologist who gets caught in the crosshairs of a small town nightmare, when he discovers a bizarre local illness may be connected to his work in the swamp.
Per DC Universe, “Swamp Thing” follows Abby Arcane as she investigates what seems to be a deadly swamp-born virus in a small town in Louisiana but soon discovers that the swamp holds mystical and terrifying secrets. When unexplainable and chilling horrors emerge from the murky marsh, no one is safe.
Bean is set to star in “It: Chapter 2” alongside James McAvoy, Bill Skarsgard and Jessica Chastain, as the adult version of Stanley (who was played by Wyatt Oleff in the 2017 film). Mears is no stranger to playing supernatural beings, having been the latest to play the role of Jason Voorhees in the 2009 “Friday the 13th” reboot.
“Swamp Thing” is executive produced by James Wan, Mark Verheiden, Gary Dauberman, Michael Clear and Len Wiseman. “Swamp Thing” is based on DC characters created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. Rob Hackett is co-producer. The series is produced by Atomic Monster in association with Warner Bros. Television. The pilot is written by Verheiden and Dauberman, and Wiseman is set to direct.
“Swamp Thing” is one of several live-action series coming to the new digital platform DC Universe, including “Stargirl,” which was announced at Comic-Con, “Doom Patrol,” a revival of the Cartoon Network series “Young Justice,” the live-action Lois Lane-Lex Luthor series “Metropolis,” and an animated Harley Quinn series. The streaming service debuted “Titans,” its first series, in October.
Broadcast TV's Most-Watched Debuts Since 2013, From 'Blindspot' to 'Instinct' (Photos)
As things currently stand, the Top 5 new broadcast series premieres of the 2018-19 TV season belong to "Manifest," "God Friended Me," "F.B.I.," "New Amsterdam" and "Magnum P.I."
Don't call them "hit shows" quite yet, however -- history should make you more conservative with that label.
TheWrap dug up the Top 5 new broadcast TV debuts for each of the past five years. Some of these shows and their Live + Same Day Nielsen numbers may surprise you -- as will how quickly many came back down to Earth or completely just went away.
Scroll through our gallery for a recent-history lesson.
Rank Among Selection: 28 Series: "Instinct" Debut Season: 2017-18 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 9.1 million Fate: The James Patterson adaptation dipped in the ratings over its first season and was the subject of a plagiarism scandal, but CBS stuck by the drama and has picked it up for a second season.
Rank Among Selection: 27 Series: "Limitless" Debut Season: 2015-16 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 9.86 million Fate: Despite a good start, the ratings for "Limitless" failed to keep pace with CBS' other dramas and the show was canceled after one season.
Rank Among Selection: 26 Series: "SEAL Team" Debut Season: 2017-18 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 9.88 million Fate: "SEAL Team" earned an early renewal from CBS, but the show's second season debuted down.
Rank Among Selection: 22 Series: "American Idol" (Sunday) Debut Season: 2017-18 Net: ABC Series Premere Viewers: 10.49 million Fate: ABC picked up a second season of "Idol," with host Ryan Seacrest and judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie all set to return.
Rank Among Selection: 21 Series: "Superior Donuts" Debut Season: 2016-17 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 10.54 million Fate: The show was canceled by CBS after its second season failed to live up to its post-"Big Bang Theory" debut.
Rank Among Selection: 20 Series: "Blindspot" Debut Season: 2015-16 Net: NBC Series Premere Viewers: 10.6 million Fate: "Blindspot" was moved to Friday nights for its third season, where it proved to be a reliable performer for NBC, and was renewed for a fourth.
Rank Among Selection: 19 Series: "MacGyver" Debut Season: 2016-17 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 10.7 million Fate: "MacGyver" has declined in the ratings across its first two seasons, with the third debuting even lower.
Rank Among Selection: 18 Series: "Kevin Can Wait" Debut Season: 2016-17 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 11.1 million Fate: A showrunner swap and a somewhat casting shake-up led to steep declines for "Kevin Can Wait" and the show was canceled after two seasons.
Rank Among Selection: 17 Series: "Life in Pieces" Debut Season: 2015-16 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 11.3 million Fate: The ensemble comedy managed to survive being moved out from after "The Big Bang Theory" and has grown into a reliable performer for CBS.
Rank Among Selection: 16 Series: "The Good Doctor" Debut Season: 2017-18 Net: ABC Series Premere Viewers: 11.4 million Fate: "The Good Doctor" was a big hit in its first season on ABC, though its sophomore run is currently performing way down in the early going.
Rank Among Selection: 15 Series: "Hunted" Debut Season: 2016-17 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 11.8 million Fate: The reality competition show ran for seven episodes, but was not picked up for a second season.
Rank Among Selection: 14 Series: "The Blacklist" Debut Season: 2013-14 Net: NBC Series Premere Viewers: 12.6 million Fate: One of NBC's biggest scripted success stories of recent seasons, "The Blacklist" is currently in its sixth season and inspired one short-lived spinoff.
Rank Among Selection: 13 Series: "Supergirl" Debut Season: 2015-16 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 13 million Fate: "Supergirl" eventually was moved to The CW, where it was reunited with the network's other DC superhero shows. It is currently heading into Season 4.
Rank Among Selection: 12 Series: "The Millers" Debut Season: 2013-14 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 13.1 million Fate: "The Millers" suffered a steep ratings drop after losing its "Big Bang Theory" lead-in, and was canceled after its second season.
Rank Among Selection: 11 Series: "Resurrection" Debut Season: 2013-14 Net: ABC Series Premere Viewers: 13.5 million Fate: Despite a premiere buoyed by its Oscars lead-in, the supernatural drama flamed out in its second season and was canceled.
Rank Among Selection: 10 Series: "The Odd Couple" Debut Season: 2014-15 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 13.6 million Fate: "The Odd Couple" ran for three seasons before it settled in as the network's least-watched comedy and was given the axe.
Rank Among Selection: 9 Series: "Scorpion" Debut Season: 2014-15 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 13.9 million Fate: "Scorpion" was on the bubble for much of its run, and CBS held out for weeks before ultimately opting not to pick up a fifth season of the procedural.
Rank Among Selection: 8 Series: "How to Get Away With Murder" Debut Season: 2014-15 Net: ABC Series Premere Viewers: 14.1 million Fate: The Shondaland drama earned some awards attention for lead Viola Davis and has become a staple of ABC's Thursday-night line-up. It is currently entering Season 5.
Rank Among Selection: 7 Series: "Madam Secretary" Debut Season: 2014-15 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 14.8 million Fate: The Tea Leoni-led political drama has declined steadily in the ratings across its four-season run, but CBS nonetheless renewed the series for a fifth outing.
Rank Among Selection: 6 Series: "Little Big Shots" Debut Season: 2015-16 Net: NBC Series Premere Viewers: 14.9 million Fate: The Steve Harvey game show showcasing children's talents was moved to summer for part of its most recent third season and saw viewership suffer as a result.
Rank Among Selection: 5 Series: "The Crazy Ones" Debut Season: 2013-14 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 15.5 million Fate: Robin Williams' return to television received mixed reviews and fizzled in the ratings, leading to its cancellation after one season.
Rank Among Selection: 4 Series: "Bull" Debut Season: 2016-17 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 15.6 million Fate: Across its first two seasons, "Bull" grew into one of CBS' top performers and was quickly picked up for a third by the network.
Rank Among Selection: 3 Series: "Intelligence" Debut Season: 2013-14 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 16.5 million Fate: Starring "Lost" alum Josh Holloway as a spy with a computer in his brain, "Intelligence" failed to make a mark with viewers across its 13-episode first season and was cancelled.
Rank Among Selection: 2 Series: "Young Sheldon" Debut Season: 2017-18 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 17.2 million Fate: The "Big Bang Theory" spinoff was one of CBS' earliest successes last season, becoming the first new series to be renewed by the network.
Rank Among Selection: 1 Series: "NCIS: New Orleans" Debut Season: 2014-15 Net: CBS Series Premere Viewers: 17.4 million Fate: The "NCIS" spinoff lost some viewers after it was moved out from after the flagship franchise, and the show has since suffered some behind-the-scenes turmoil, but it remains one of the network's most-watched dramas.
You’re not crazy: We all forgot about ”The Crazy Ones“
As things currently stand, the Top 5 new broadcast series premieres of the 2018-19 TV season belong to "Manifest," "God Friended Me," "F.B.I.," "New Amsterdam" and "Magnum P.I."
Don't call them "hit shows" quite yet, however -- history should make you more conservative with that label.
TheWrap dug up the Top 5 new broadcast TV debuts for each of the past five years. Some of these shows and their Live + Same Day Nielsen numbers may surprise you -- as will how quickly many came back down to Earth or completely just went away.
Scroll through our gallery for a recent-history lesson.