Superman may not be in theaters yet, but DC Studios is already making bold swings in the rebooted DC Universe. Clayface, written by horror maestro Mike Flanagan, will feature the iconic Batman villain front and center of his own feature-length film. Set to be directed by Speak No Evil’s James Watkins, the upcoming project has quickly risen among the most intriguing in the superhero genre. With a $40 million budget, it could be the studio’s next Joker, and the film appears to be eyeing an appropriately iconic actor to headline it.
According to Jeff Sneider, former Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe is being eyed to play the lead in Clayface. The film will follow Basil Karlo, a B-list Hollywood actor who injects himself with a mysterious substance to save his career, but then goes through a gruesome transformation as his body morphs into a moldable clay. Described as a body horror film written by Flanagan, Clayface may be the perfect role for Radcliffe to sink his teeth into, and one that fits right in with his current filmography following his breakout Harry Potter success.

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After starring in all eight Harry Potter films, Radcliffe found himself choosing more inspired roles in, more often than not, smaller productions. From Swiss Army Man to the television series Miracle Workers, the actor is no stranger to leading all kinds of genre projects. With Clayface looking to be a hardcore horror fest in the same vein as The Substance, the DCU film could be the exact kind of story that attracts Radcliffe back into franchise filmmaking. Of course, as a rumor, his potential involvement should not be taken as fact just yet. But it’s hard not to see how perfectly Radcliffe could fit into the unique DCU role.
James Gunn Confirms a New Actor Will Play Clayface After ‘Creature Commandos’

DC Comics

Before his upcoming solo film, Clayface already made his DCU debut in James Gunn’s critically-acclaimed animated series, Creature Commandos. Voiced by longtime DC actor Alan Tudyk, the Batman villain played a minor role on the Max streaming show, but it was clear his introduction was meant to lead to something more significant down the line. However, Gunn recently confirmed that Tudyk will not be reprising his role as Basil Karlo in the new film, which the filmmaker hopes “works as a pure horror movie for somebody who doesn’t care at all about DC.”
Whether it is Daniel Radcliffe or someone else in the titular role, Clayface could serve as the first DCU film to get some prestigious recognition during the awards season. Every production detail thus far feels akin to the development of Joker, which netted Joaquin Phoenix an Academy Award for Best Actor. Of course, people don’t make films with the sole intention of getting some trophies. However, operating under a $40 million budget along with a script by Mike Flanagan that Gunn has described as one of the best he’s read for the DCU thus far, the writing is on the wall.
Source: Jeff Sneider

Clayface

Release Date

September 11, 2026