Welcome to the dark corner of the DC Universe.
A week after unveiling the first look at CinemaCon, Warner Bros. on Wednesday unleashed a teaser trailer for Clayface , the first outright horror film in James Gunn and Peter Safran‘s rebooted DC Studios comic-book division.
Taking a page from Todd Phillips’ Joker (the original — not the sequel we’ve all decided doesn’t exist), the James Watkins-directed film makes a classic Batman villain the star of his own story, with Welsh actor Tom Rhys Harries playing the titular shapeshifter.
Soundtracked to a spacey remix of The Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realize??,” the minute-long promo reveals the man who will be Clayface lying in a hospital bed with bandages covering his disfigured visage while quick flashbacks tease how he ended up there. But he finds a solution to his condition with a clay mask covering that allows him to take on any identities as he presumably tracks down the person(s) responsible.
Here’s everything we know about Clayface.
The backstory
Clayface is the moniker for a series of DC villains. Debuting in 1940, the first incarnation was inspired by the horror films of the era, but he only lasted a few outings. The classic version of the character arrived in the 1950s. Taking a cue from B-movie sci-fi, this Clayface was the alter ego of Matthew Hagen, a treasure hunter who acquired shapeshifting powers after being exposed to radioactivity and became a member of Batman’s rogues gallery.
There have been subsequent versions through the years, but the film name-checks Hagen.
The idea of a Clayface feature was first broached in 2021 by horror maven Mike Flanagan, best known for his acclaimed Stephen King adaptations (Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, The Life of Chuck) and his Netflix scare-fests (The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass). (See Gold Derby’s career retrospective interview with Mike Flanagan.)
The initial idea went nowhere, but Flanagan persisted, taking his idea to Gunn and Safran after they assumed control of DC’s film unit, selling them on a stand-alone body-horror movie in the vein of classic David Cronenberg. It would be the first DC-branded horror movie since Wes Craven’s Swamp Thing adaptation way back in 1982.
The plot
Here’s how Warner Bros. is describing the film:
“DC Studios’ first-ever foray into the genre, Clayface is a riveting horror thriller from director James Watkins, starring Tom Rhys Harries in the title role of the Gotham City villain.
“Clayface unravels one man’s horrifying descent from rising Hollywood star to revenge-filled monster in a story that explores the loss of one’s identity and humanity, corrosive love, and the dark underbelly of scientific ambition.”
The cast
In addition to Harries as Matt Hagen/Clayface, the film stars Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, and Eddie Marsan.
The creatives
Watkins, who previously helmed an episode of Black Mirror, is directing from a screenplay credited to Flanagan and Hossein Amini. Producers include Gunn, Safran, Lynn Harris, and The Batman director Matt Reeves. At various points Reeves was considering featuring Clayface as a villain in his sequel to the Robert Pattinson film as well as exploring a solo project, à la The Penguin.
All indications are that Watkins’ Clayface will exist apart from both The Batman franchise as well as the larger DC Universe.
The release date
Warners has circled a Halloween release for the film: Oct. 23, 2026.
The awards chances
While The Penguin was a huge Emmy player and Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival, Clayface seems like a pure entertainment play. Aside from a potential hair and makeup bid, it seems unlikely to be a The Substance-like contender.
