DC fans got a bit of a shock late last year when it was revealed out of nowhere that a Clayface movie was being put into development with a script by horror auteur Mike Flanagan. The movie wasn’t even on anyone’s radar, including DC Studios co-chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran, who had no plans to make a Clayface film until they saw Flanagan’s script and couldn’t resist. The movie recently found its director in Speak No Evil’s James Watkins, but don’t look for noted Clayface actor Alan Tudyk to take on the titular role in the live-action film.
Speaking with Variety, Gunn noted that he hopes Clayface “works as a pure horror movie for somebody who doesn’t care at all about DC,” but for those fans who have been following the DC Universe for quite some time, don’t expect Tudyk to appear in the film. Despite voicing the character in Harley Quinn and Creature Commandos, Gunn, Safran, and Watkins will be going in a different direction for the movie, which is being described as a “body horror film.”

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With a release date of Sept. 11, 2026, Clayface is expected to head into production this summer. Thus far, no casting announcements have been made, so it’s unclear who will take on the starring role, but rumors have suggested everyone from James McAvoy (Speak No Evil, Split) to Henry Thomas, who’s best known for his role in E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, and has also appeared in a number of other projects from Flanagan, including The Haunting of Hill House, Gerald’s Game, and The Haunting of Bly Manor.
James Gunn Calls ‘Clayface’ “Pure F**king Horror”

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Clayface made his first appearance in Detective Comics #40 in 1940, and while Safran admitted at a recent DC press conference (via ComicBook) that the character “may not be as widely known as Penguin or Joker,” he’s hoping that when it comes to the movie, his story will be “equally resonant, compelling, and in many ways more terrifying.” Little is known about the plot right now, but it is said to follow the Basil Karlo version of the character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who, as a B-list actor that injects himself with a mysterious substance to remain relevant, becomes a walking piece of clay who can reshape his entire body.
The film is expected to be rated R, and one which Gunn also called “pure f**king horror” at that same press conference, while also describing Flanagan’s take on Clayface as “so real and true, and psychological, and body horror, and gross.” Flanagan is known for writing compelling, true to life people that we can easily sympathize with no matter if they’re hero or villain, so needless to say we can’t wait to see how he and Watkins bring the titular character to life next year.
Before we get there, however, look for Gunn’s Superman to hit theaters on July 11, 2025, from Warner Bros. Pictures, and Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow to debut on June 26, 2026.
Source: Variety

Clayface

Release Date

September 11, 2026