DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran have revealed details about the upcoming Clayface movie, affirming its place in the DCU canon and its R-rated tone.
Clayface, a shapeshifting Gotham City criminal able to morph his clay-like body into any form, ranks among Batman's earliest adversaries. The character, first introduced as Basil Karlo in Detective Comics #40 (1940), remains a formidable foe.
DC Studios recently set a September 11, 2026 release for the Clayface film, a decision influenced by the success of HBO’s The Penguin series. Horror maestro Mike Flanagan will write the screenplay, with Lynn Harris producing alongside The Batman director Matt Reeves.
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During a DC Studios presentation covered by IGN, Gunn and Safran clarified why Clayface belongs in the DCU rather than Matt Reeves’ The Batman Epic Crime Saga.
“Clayface is fully part of the DCU,” Gunn stated. “Matt’s Crime Saga focuses solely on the Batman Trilogy and The Penguin series,” Safran added. “Those are the only projects in that universe, still under DC Studios’ oversight. We maintain a strong partnership with Matt.”
“It was crucial to include Clayface in the DCU. This film explores the origin of a classic Batman villain we want in our universe.”
Gunn noted that Clayface’s fantastical nature made it a poor fit for the grounded tone of The Batman Epic Crime Saga.
“Clayface’s powers don’t align with the non-superhuman characters in Matt’s world,” Gunn explained.
Safran revealed that DC Studios is finalizing talks with Speak No Evil director James Watkins to helm Clayface, with production expected to start this summer.
“This summer, we’ll begin filming Clayface, a gripping body horror film that unveils the chilling origin of a classic Batman villain, driven by Mike Flanagan’s exceptional screenplay,” Safran said.
“We’re close to securing James Watkins as director. Once confirmed, we’ll start casting and aim to shoot this summer for a fall 2026 release. While Clayface may be less known than The Penguin or The Joker, his story is just as compelling, resonant, and, in many ways, more terrifying.”
At the DC Studios event, Safran described Clayface as “experimental,” noting it diverges from “traditional superhero blockbusters” and leans into an “indie-style chiller.” Gunn emphasized its “intense, psychological body horror” and “gruesome, authentic” tone.
Gunn confirmed the film’s R rating, stating, “Clayface is definitely R-rated.”
“When Peter and I first read the script, we felt that if we’d been producing films like The Belko Experiment five years ago, we would’ve jumped at the chance to make this horror script about Clayface. It’s an outstanding body horror story, and its place in the DCU is just a bonus,” Gunn added.
