Clayface will bring James Gunn’s DCU: Chapter One into the world of horror. The upcoming superhero movie will be the second of two DC films debuting this year, arriving in October after a slight delay and following Supergirl’s big summer release.
And while the Batman villain’s live-action debut has been a long time coming, all signs are looking promising that this could live up to fan hopes. Horror maestro Mike Flanagan is penning the script and The Woman in Black director James Watkins is behind the camera, marking some horror heavyweight talent involved.
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Clayface release date
Clayface is due to arrive in theaters on October 23, 2026. This makes it the third movie in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU: Chapter One, after Superman and Supergirl.
However, it has faced some delays getting to the big screen. Originally Clayface was due to arrive in September 2026 before it was pushed back to release during the spooky season around Halloween.
Clayface cast
The Clayface cast has been revealed and features a whole bunch of familiar faces joining the DCU. White Lines and Doctor Who actor Tom Rhys Harries leads the cast in the titular role and is joined by Star Wars and The Handmaid’s Tale stars. Check out the full list below.
- Tom Rhys Harries – Matt Hagen / Clayface
- Naomi Ackie – Dr. Caitlin Bates
- Max Minghella
- Eddie Marsan
- David Dencik
While this is the cast list so far, it is worth noting that this may not be everyone who appears in the movie. Given this is a DCU project and will be linked to other new DC Studios projects, we’re not ruling out some surprise cameos along the way too. Some fans even think that the Joker could make an appearance thanks to an on-set Easter egg.
Clayface story
Based on a mix of the DC comic book character’s different origin stories, Clayface will tell the story of an actor who goes to extreme methods after becoming disfigured in an accident. Matt Hagen turns to a off-beat scientist to help him but things don’t go exactly to plan and he winds up becoming, well, clay as a result.
This is similar to how the character is introduced in the DCU project Creature Commandos, where he is a shapeshifting villain who causes the gang all kinds of issues.
James Gunn described the movie as tonally different what we’ve seen so far in the DCU as well. “Although it’s in the same universe, it’s a complete horror film,” he said to CBSMornings in 2025. “That’s one of the things we want to do… there’s not a company style. It’s not like every movie is going to be like Superman.”
Meanwhile Clayface actor Max Minghella teased that the movie will really lean into body horror. “I think I can say safely it’s going there,” he said. “It’s a proper movie. It’s a really fantastic script.”
There have been some suggestions too that the upcoming movie could link to Robert Pattinson’s The Batman movies. This came from a set picture that sent internet rumor mills spiraling after it showed a sticker of The Batman’s logo in the background. Gunn has debunked this link to the Elseworlds movie, but it would be the first time there was some misdirection in a superhero film. Watch this space…
Is there a Clayface trailer?
Watch On
Yes! The first Clayface trailer was released on April 22, 2026, which you can watch above. In it, we see Matt Hagen’s grisly transformation from lantern-jawed big-screen heartthrob, to disfigured victim of a violent assault, to shapeshifting gloop-man who can transform at will. It looks to be quite the tonal swing for the DCU, which has so far stuck to co-CEO James Gunn’s pop-punk sensibility with Superman and Supergirl. This one looks very promising indeed.
For more on all things DC, check out our breakdown of how to watch the DC movies in order and everything you need to know about upcoming sequel Superman: Man of Tomorrow.
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