Annihilation's Alex Garland on Why He Won't Direct a Swamp Thing Movie

Alex Garland has made quite the name for himself lately, thanks to movies like Annihilation and Ex Machina showing just how talented he is. The man is also no stranger to comic book movies, writing the Dredd reboot that bombed in the box office but gained a big fanbase due to its great, well, everything. Garland has also made it no secret that he would want to work on a Swamp Thing movie but it looks like he's changed his mind.

Speaking with ComicBook.com, Garland was asked about his interest in a Swamp Thing film and though he still wants to do it, he feels that it shouldn't be done, at least by him. Why? In the interview, he states that Alan Moore, who redefined the character and made his comic must-read to many fans, doesn't like seeing his work adapted to the big screen.

"It's complicated for me because I really, really love Swamp Thing. I wasn't exactly saying that I wanted to do it. The problem for me is that Alan Moore, who wrote the parts of Swamp Thing that I really loved and responded to, has been very, very clear saying he does not want people to adapt his stuff. So I couldn't work on Swamp Thing for that reason. I've got too much respect and admiration for Alan Moore. But I can fantasize about it. I can daydream about it."

Fans familiar with Alan Moore know that this is true. Ever since Hollywood adapted his works, the writer has consistently been disappointed, whether it was the disastrous From Hell or the much-maligned League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. While we've seen a couple of decent adaptations based on his work like Zack Snyder's Watchmen, we can see why Moore is still bitter about these things.

The only Swamp Thing adaptation fans can check out is the acclaimed DC Universe series that was canceled. It's only season can be viewed now and, in fairness, is quite the watch.

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