DC Comics
DC Studios’ shape-shifting thriller Clayface is moving forward. With the release date locked in 2026 and production ready, the mystical spinoff focusing on one of Batman’s most tragic rogues has finally come to shape.
Directed by Speak No Evil filmmaker James Watkins and written by acclaimed horror storyteller Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep), Clayface is featured as a character-driven entry in James Gunn and Peter Saffron’s new DC universe.
Casting: Fresh face for classic villains
Tom Squirrel Harry’s in “White Lines” | Netflix
Casting: Clayface’s fresh face
Reportedly following the competitive casting process, Welsh actor Tom Rice Harrys took the lead role in Clayface. DC Studios had been considering many of the talents of many British people, including Jack O’Connell, Tom Bryce and George Mackay, before locking up to Harry’s for the gig. According to co-head of DC Studios James Gunn, it was not a rushing decision.
“After a long, incredibly thorough search, we finally got DCU Clayface for Tom Rice Harrys,” Gunn posted on X.
Harrys still brings him an impressive job, even under the radar. He made his West End debut with Mojo alongside Rupert Grint and Ben Whishaw, starring as DJ Axel Collins on Netflix’s white line, appearing in projects such as The Gentlemen, Sundicion, Kandahar, and Doctor Who. With Clayface, he will step into the most high-profile role of his career to date.
The rough origin of clayface
DC Comics
Although DC has not officially released an outline, Clayface is expected to follow the failed B-film actor who injects mysterious substances in a desperate bid to maintain its relevance.
The film appears to draw inspiration from several incarnations of characters that have appeared in DC Comics since Clayface’s debut in 1940’s Detective Comics #40. For decades, the name has been used by multiple villains. Some were tragic figures, others had more monsters, but they all stood as memorable enemies for Batman. In 2009, IGN ranked Clayface among the top 100 comic book villains of all time.
Clayface has also appeared widely in non-common adaptations. Ron Perman voices his character in the beloved DC Animation Universe, and Alan Tadik lends his voice to Harley Quinn and the upcoming take on more comedic Creature Commandos series. Live-action portrayals have appeared in Goodham (played by Brian McManammon) and Pennyworth (drawn by Lorraine Burrows), but the major film versions have yet to reach the screen.
The team behind the movie
James Watkins directs James McAvoy with “Speak No Evil” | Universal Photography
The project is directed by James Watkins, known for his horror thrillers like female females. The original script was written by Mike Flanagan (Hill House’s Unforgettable), and was later drafted by Hossein Amini (Drive, Dove Wing). The modest US$40 million budget reported for the film suggests focused, grounded production, in contrast to DC’s larger tent pole entries.
Clayface is produced by Gunn and Saffron along with Batman director Matt Reeves and producer Lynne Harris. It shows a potential tone or creative synergy with Reeves’ Batt Bers, but no official connection has been confirmed.
Release date and DCU context
The film is scheduled to open in cinemas on September 11th, 2026. This will be the third DC film to unfold under a new management team of Cancer and Saffron, following Superman (July) and Supergirl: The Women’s Tomorrow (June 2026).
Clayface cameras are reportedly going to start rolling in the UK at Warner Bros. Leavesden Studios later this year.
Clayface was not part of the first DCU slate announced by Cancer in 2023, but it appears to be a strategic addition to the “God and the Monster” chapter. Like Joker and Batman, the film could occupy a darker, independent space despite being tied to an inclusive DC narrative vision.
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