Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Clayface

  • ‘Clayface’: James Gunn Confirms New Film’s Place on the DCU Timeline

    ‘Clayface’: James Gunn Confirms New Film’s Place on the DCU Timeline

    Following the release of the teaser trailer for DC Studios’ Clayface, fans expressed some confusion about if the film’s titular monster was the same character that debuted in Season 1 of Creature Commandos. It’s a fair question given that the title of Clayface has belonged to more than half a dozen characters in the pages of DC Comics and also because in it’s short history, the DCU’s timeline has expanded chronologically…until now.

    While responding to a fan’s question about when Clayface takes place within the DCU, DC Studios’ co-chair James Gunn revealed that the events of the new film are set before Superman, making it “the first DCU film out of chronological order.”

    Set in Gotham and inspired by Batman the Animated Series, Clayface will tell Matt Hagen’s origins as the muddy menace. With it being set an undisclosed period of time before Superman, it leaves plenty of room for DC Studios to either explain how Hagen continues on as the character or pass the mantle to another character.

    Clayface will “center on an ascending actor whose face is disfigured by a gangster. As a last resort, the actor turns to a fringe Elizabeth Holmes-style scientist for help. At first, the experiment is a successful but … well, it wouldn’t be a horror movie if the story ended right there, would it?”

  • ‘Clayface’ Trailer Reveals a Terrifying Body Horror Vision for the DCU

    Look fear in the face—or what’s left of it. DC Studios has officially dropped the first trailer for Clayface, and it is a stark departure from the traditional superhero aesthetic.

    Written by horror maestro Mike Flanagan and directed by James Watkins (Speak No Evil), the film stars Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, an actor whose face is destroyed in a brutal attack. The footage shows Hagen in a hospital bed, bandaged and bloody, before shifting into The Fly territory as his cells begin to liquefy. We get a shadowy glimpse of Hagen transforming his arm into a spiked mace, but the horror remains grounded in the tragedy of his lost identity.

    This is a full-blown body horror movie that just so happens to me set in the DCU. The trailer concludes with Hagen in a bathtub literally wiping his own face away with his hand. If you want the dark, tragic side of Gotham without the Bat-Signal, this is your movie.

  • ‘Clayface’ Trailer Rumored for Today; “Regenerative Medicine” Teased

    DC Studios has been quietly dropping breadcrumbs for their Clayface movie and now they’re about to introduce the DCU’s first true monster movie. Following a week of viral teasers focused on actor Matt Hagen’s “fading looks,” the first trailer for Clayface is expected to drop later today.

    After launching anInstagram account for the film which serves as a viral marketing tool, a new teaser for Gotham Medical magazine features a headline about “The New Face of Regenerative Medicine.” Reports suggest the first trailer is dropping today.

    The viral campaign has focused on a fictional publication called Gotham Medical, highlighting Dr. Caitlin Bates’ (Naomi Ackie) breakthrough in regenerative medicine. The “tragedy” of the film reportedly stems from Hagen using this untested tech to restore his face after a disfiguring accident, only to have his cellular structure become permanently unstable.

    Clyafacs is shaping up as a movie monster tragedy. The marketing is framing Hagen’s transformation as a failed experimental treatment to save his acting career, rather than a simple accident. Descriptions of footage from the film shown at CinemaCon suggest a film that is part The Fly and part Phantom of the Opera. It’s a grounded, heartbreaking look at a man who can become anyone but can no longer remain himself.

  • ‘Clayface’ Looks Set in a Gotham Full of Batman’s Greatest Villains

    ‘Clayface’ Looks Set in a Gotham Full of Batman’s Greatest Villains

    While Clayface is one of Batman’s most interesting rogues, few would list him as one of the Dark Knight’s greatest baddies. However, it’s starting to look as though DC Studios’ upcoming horror movie, Clayface, will set the stage for–if not introduce–at least a few of Batman’s biggest big bads in the DCU.

    With production on Clayface continuing in Liverpool, new photos from the set tease the very real possibility that Batman villains The Joker and The Penguin are already active within the DCU.

    In the case of The Joker, it seems as though there is both a singular entity referred to as The Joker, who is leading a march against the corrupt Gotham City Police Department, and a gang who calls themselves The Jokers. Theories are already flying that The Jokers will turn out to be the DCU’s version of the Red Hood Gang, though there’s no good explanation for why they aren’t just called the Red Hood Gang.

    In the case of The Penguin, the reference comes in the form of a poster for the Gotham carnival known as Amusement Mile. The poster, which invites people to “Behold” the “Penguin Man,” shares a wall with a “Freakshow” poster, insinuating that the character is one of the attractions.

    Photos of props from the Liverpool set had already revealed that The Penguin’s club, The Iceberg Lounge, was among the key locations shown on a Gotham map; however, it’s unclear when Clayface is set, if some of these photos are from flashbacks or if The Penguin is already an established crime boss in the present of the DCU. Whatever the case, it seems as though Clayface might do a lot of the heavy lifting in establishing Gotham in the all-new DCU.

  • BTS Photo from the Set of ‘Clayface’ Teases Another Major Batman Villain

    BTS Photo from the Set of ‘Clayface’ Teases Another Major Batman Villain

    As was the case with Superman, which saw Cleveland become Metropolis, DC Studios is taking great care to make sure its Gotham is FULL of Easter eggs, nods and comic accurate inclusions when it is introduced in Clayface.

    Recently, a map of Gotham City was spotted on set, complete with key locations such as Wayne Manor, Ace Chemical, The Monarch Theater, Crime Alley, Arkham and the Kane Memorial Bridge. While it’s unclear if those or any of the locations spotted on the map will factor into the plot of Clayface, it’s the kind of world building necessary to sustain what DC Studios hopes is a long-running narrative in its new, interconnected universe.

    As great as it is to see some of Gotham’s most important settings show up on a map, an empty alley or asylum won’t keep Bruce Wayne up at night…but baddies do. And a new prop spotted on the Liverpool set of Clayface confirms that at least one other classic Batman villain has a footprint in Gotham.

    While there’s no indication as yet he’ll appear in the film, a new BTS Photo Confirms that crime king Roman Sionis, aka Black Mask, is active in the all-new, all-different DCU.

    Introduced into DC Comics continuity relatively recently in 1985, Sionis has grown incredibly popular over the years. The villain appeared in the Batman: Arkham video game franchise, the CW’s Batwoman and in Birds of Prey, where he was portrayed by Ewan McGregor.

    As established in Creature Commandos and Superman, heroes and villains are already deeply established in the DCU and with Gotham having no shortage of baddies, it’s unsurprising to see a Sionis Easter egg; however, given the connection between Matt Hagen’s transformation to Clayface and Gotham’s criminal underworld (and the idea that the film’s villain is still unknown), it’s possible Black Mask may make yet another live-action appearance.

  • ‘Clayface’ Props Reveal Key Locations in the DCU’s Gotham

    ‘Clayface’ Props Reveal Key Locations in the DCU’s Gotham

    In 2020, Liverpool, England was transformed into Gotham as director Matt Reeves filmed scenes for The Batman. Five years later, as production on DC Studios’ Clayface gets underway, Liverpool is once again serving as Gotham City, set this time, however, in the all-new DCU.

    As was the case with the DCU’s Superman, which saw Cleveland become Metropolis, DC Studios is taking great care to make sure its Gotham is FULL of Easter eggs, nods and comic accurate inclusions. Most interestingly, a map of Gotham City has been spotted on set and it is complete with key locations such as Wayne Manor, Ace Chemical, The Monarch Theater, Crime Alley, Arkham and the Kane Memorial Bridge.

    While this map is unlikely to serve as anything more than something to see in the background, the references to the Joker, the Penguin, Batman and the Kane family stand out as fans get their first look at a Gotham in which the Dark Knight has likely been active for a significant amount of time.

    Fans of the comics may note the map is all but identical to the one created in the 1999 Batfamily crossover event, Batman: No Man’s Land. While it’s unlikely that story will be adapted into Clayface, it’s a notable choice as it’s a different map than the one used in The Batman and with fans still searching for reasons to believe Clayface will be set in the Reeves-verse, this may be a strike against that.

  • ‘Ray Donovan’ Star Joins Cast of DC Studios ‘Clayface’

    ‘Ray Donovan’ Star Joins Cast of DC Studios ‘Clayface’

    Cameras are now rolling in Liverpool on DC Studios’ third film, Clayface, and plenty of interested onlookers have taken to social media to share photos and videos from the set. While nothing too spoilery has been captured so far, a scene being filmed at The Queen Elizabeth Law Courts,  which has been transformed into Gotham General Hospital, revealed that a very familiar face has joined director James Watkins‘ horror film.

    As seen in the photo and video below, shared by Egg Boy, Ray Donovan star Eddie Marsan is now part of the DCU.

    The first looks don’t reveal anything too telling about Marsan‘s role, though he was also seen walking on set with Tom Rhys Harries, the film’s titular character, which could mean Marsan‘s role is substantial.

    Starring Harries as the Matt Hagen version of the classic Batman baddie, Clayface will “center on an ascending actor whose face is disfigured by a gangster. As a last resort, the actor turns to a fringe Elizabeth Holmes-style scientist for help. At first, the experiment is a successful but … well, it wouldn’t be a horror movie if the story ended right there, would it?” Based on additional photos from the set, it seems possible that low-level mob goon Jimmy “Red” McCoy may be the gangster responsible for Hagen’s disfigurement.

    Written by Mike Flanagan and described by DC Studios’ co-chair James Gunn as “a complete horror film,” Clayface is set to release on September 11, 2026.

  • DC Studios Updates Its 2026 Theatrical Release Slate

    DC Studios Updates Its 2026 Theatrical Release Slate

    As the one-year anniversary of the announcement DC Studios’ initial slate draws near, it’s becoming increasingly clear that there’s much more to Chapter One: Gods and Monsters than initially revealed. With Creature Commandos making a solid first impression for the new studio and an enormous amount of attention being given to a discussion about when the first look at Superman may or may not arrive, other projects have quietly made progress behind the scenes.

    One such project, a solo film featuring the Batman villain Clayface was just reported by Deadline to be moving ahead with a script by Mike Flanagan having pleased DC Studios powers that be. Though the report indicated the studio was still searching for a director, the belief was that an official announcement was imminent. And indeed it was.

    After being officially announced by DC Studios’ co-CEO James Gunn, Clayface has been slated for theatrical release on September 11, 2026.

    Clayface will reportedly be a small-budget ($40M) horror-tragedy set within the all-new DCU and may take inspiration from Batman: The Animated Series version of the character.

    Also seemingly lost in Deadline’s report on Clayface’s release date is that DC Studios has a third theatrical release date scheduled for 2026. The trade reports that May 29, 2026 has been set aside by Warner Bros. for a currently unknown project. While it shouldn’t be taken as confirmation, a recent Production Weekly listing indicated that DC Studios’ Teen Titans, written by Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow scribe Ana Nogueira, may be ready to go into production next year.

    Taken in combination with the recent insider report that the studio had settled on the roster of heroes set to make up the Teen Titans, it’s worth monitoring the situation over thecnext few months. Whatever the mystery May project is, production on it would have to get underway in the next 5-6 months or so in order for it to make it to theaters on time.

    Should all dates hold, DC Studios 2026 theatrical release slate would be compromised of:

    May 29, 2026: Untitled DC Studios film

    June 26, 2026: Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow

    September 11, 2026: Clayface

    Source: Deadline

  • DC Studios Set to Move Forward with First Horror Movie

    DC Studios Set to Move Forward with First Horror Movie

    In recent weeks, James Gunn made it clear that one fundamental difference between the all-new DCU and the MCU, in which he worked for nearly a decade, will be be an emphasis on world building over story building. Whereas Marvel Studios builds Phases and Sagas around “big bads” such as Thanos, Kang and Doctor Doom, and weaves those characters and their stories into multiple projects, one goal of his at DC Studios is to make sure that each new DCU project can be enjoyed on its own merits.

    “These are interconnected stories but people are always going to be [saying], ‘Who’s the big bad?’,” Gunn explained to Josh Horowitz. “Are there big bads for connected films? Yes. But is this all about, ‘Hey, I’m telling this one story about this big bad’? No.”

    This is about a connected universe. We’re world building. We’re not story building. We’re not writing one story that has a beginning, middle, and end. We’re creating a universe in which people can go and join into this universe and experience it. It is much more like Star Wars than Marvel in that respect.

    -James Gunn on the narrative structure of the DCU

    What Gunn‘s goal helps DC Studios accomplish is to open additional avenues for talented creators who have ideas for original stories that wouldn’t necessarily mesh with larger, universe-defining narratives. Mike Flanagan, the creator behind Netflix’s horror series The Haunting of Hill House and its subsequent follow-ups, reportedly pitched one such project to Gunn in 2023: a Clayface solo film. Recent reports indicated that the project was among those the studio was preparing to move forward with soon. Now, a trade report has confirmed the project was given the green light.

    According to Deadline and Variety, production on Flanagan’s Clayface film will get underway in early 2025. Though Flanagan wrote the script for the project, he will not direct it.

    Though Clayface will be produced by Matt Reeves‘ 6th & Idaho Productions, it is expected to be part of the main DCU continuity rather than Reeves’ more grounded and practical Batman Epic Crime Saga. The character is set to make his DCU debut soon in Creature Commandos.

    Flanagan‘s history with horror projects could mean Clayface will mix and match elements from various iterations of the character that have appeared in DC Comics over last 80+ years. With an official announcement reportedly imminent, perhaps Gunn will shed some light on the direction of the project.

    Sources: Deadline, Variety, YouTube

  • Mike Flanagan Has Pitched a ‘Clayface’ Movie to DC Studios

    Mike Flanagan Has Pitched a ‘Clayface’ Movie to DC Studios

    Mike Flanagan, who has developed some of the biggest shows for Netflix in recent years (Midnight Mass, The Midnight Club), has reportedly pitched a new movie to DC Studios. According to Deadline, Flanagan is said to have pitched a Clayface movie to Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios. The project, as of now, is only a pitch, something Flanagan stressed on Twitter. However, should the project move forward, it’s said Clayface would not be a bad guy in the film, despite his comic history as a supervillain.

    https://twitter.com/flanaganfilm/status/1641164300525113344?s=20

    Deadline has also noted that Clayface could actually make an appearance in Matt Reeves‘ The Batman 2. The outlet does note that scripts are “constantly changing,” however, the character is said to be a big addition to that project. Of course, the Clayface potentially introduced in Reeves’ movie wouldn’t necessarily be the same one used in DC Studios’ Chapter One, as it’s currently unclear where Reeves’ universe falls in that world as it is.

    As of now, Flanagan’s involvement with a Clayface project seems to be in the very, very early stages. Flanagan has shown interest in the past regarding working on a Clayface project, so it’s not entirely surprising that he’s pitched the potential film to DC Studios, whether or not the studio opts to move forward with his pitch remains to be seen.

    Source: Deadline.