Clayface: The DCU Changes Skin with James Watkins' New Film

The new DCU won't necessarily need Batman to tell Gotham's story. Clayface will indeed take a path decidedly closer to horror, with James Watkins intending to exploit Matt Hagen's transformation to build a standalone film, far from the codes of classic superhero adventure.

Tom Rhys Harries will star in a story set before the events of Superman. The character's presence in the same shared universe should therefore not result in continuous connections with other films.

James Watkins Goes All-In on Horror

The director explained that the more contained budget pushed him to be more daring in the realm of terror. At its core will be Hagen's progressive loss of identity, an element that should make his transformation into Clayface something much more unsettling than the simple birth of a supervillain.

To build the film's tone, Watkins looked to 1970s cinema and older productions, while Harries indicated Batman: Arkham Asylum – A Serious House on Serious Earth, the famous graphic novel by Grant Morrison and Dave McKean, among the references used to build the character.

Apparently, Gotham will also have its own identity, distinct from the bright imagery of Superman. The film will arrive in Italian cinemas on October 22, 2026.