The new DC Universe is still finding its feet, but fans are already seeing how wildly different one project can be from the next. Clayface is the clearest proof yet.
James Gunn‘s Superman launched the shared universe. Now Supergirl is set to carry the story to the big screen. But the boldest swing on DC Studios’ slate? Probably the one that barely reads as a superhero movie. That’s Clayface, an R rated horror thriller built around one of Batman’s most iconic villains.
According to star Tom Rhys Harries, Clayface tells a story that mostly stands on its own, even while it lives inside the larger DC Universe. ComicBookMovie.com reported the comments, citing an interview with Club Ciné.
Clayface Is A Different Kind Of DC Movie
Since James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios, one message keeps coming through. Not every project has to feel the same. Forget cramming every film into one mold. The plan looks more like standalone stories that still feed a shared universe.
And that’s exactly what’s shaping up with Clayface.
The way Harries puts it, the screenplay works as “a complete standalone within an extended world.” Basically, you can show up cold. No need to track a whole stack of movies and TV series just to follow the plot. And for anyone burned out on superhero films packed with cameos, crossovers, and universe building homework? That sounds pretty refreshing.
How Clayface Fits Into The DC Universe
Standalone or not, Clayface still claims an important spot on the growing DCU timeline.
The movie shares continuity with Superman and Supergirl, though it reportedly lands earlier on the timeline. Gunn has hinted before that the film digs into how Matt Hagen slowly becomes the shape shifting villain fans know from DC comics and animation. That alone makes Clayface a fascinating piece of the bigger puzzle.
This isn’t a straight sequel or some crossover spectacle. Instead, it’s built to deepen the DCU’s mythology through one character’s tragic origin story. Hoping for a Batman drop in or a parade of other Gotham heroes? You may want to dial those expectations back. Even so, this marks the first real glimpse of Gotham inside Gunn‘s new universe.
Horror Takes Center Stage
Here’s the part that really stands out. Clayface looks nothing like anything else DC Studios has lined up.
James Watkins directs, working from a script by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini. The pitch? A full fledged horror thriller. It follows a rising Hollywood actor whose life warps into something monstrous. Expect body horror, psychological dread, and a big helping of classic monster movie DNA.
That alone sets this Clayface horror movie apart, not just from past Batman films but from comic book adaptations in general. Horror keeps crushing it at the box office. So DC Studios may have found a clever way to reach viewers well beyond the usual superhero crowd.
The Road Ahead For The DCU
Clayface also lands at a telling moment for DC Studios.
Superman already poured the foundation for the new universe, while Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is expected to push further into its cosmic corner. More projects are cooking too, including Lanterns and the eventual arrival of Batman through The Brave and the Bold.
Stacked together, these films show off the flexibility Gunn and Safran are clearly chasing. Superman runs on hopeful heroics. Supergirl reaches for cosmic science fiction. And then there’s Clayface, diving headfirst into horror. If the gamble pays off, the DC Universe could become a place where just about any genre fits under one roof.
For now, Clayface stays one of the most mysterious names on DC’s schedule. But if Harries is right, expect a character driven horror story first and a universe building exercise a distant second.
Clayface stars Tom Rhys Harries, Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, Nancy Carroll, and Joshua James*. It opens in theaters on October 23.
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