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Clayface Teaser Debuts, Signaling the DCU’s Body-Horror Turn

The origin story centers on actor Matt Hagen, introducing Gotham City to the new DCU.

Overview

  • The teaser, released Wednesday after a CinemaCon first look, offers the first on-screen glimpse of the DCU’s take on Clayface.
  • James Watkins directs with Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, and Warner Bros. set October 23, 2026 for the theatrical release.
  • DC StudiosJames Gunn describes the film as body horror that exists within the DCU, pointing to a darker tonal lane for the franchise.
  • The preview lays out Hagen’s desperate bid to fix a ruined face as his body shifts into clay-like forms, with images of melting flesh, chemical injections, a bathtub face wipe, and a shadowed fist in a Gotham alley.
  • The project originated from a script by horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan, later revised by Hossein Amini, and will be the first DC Studios feature to bring Gotham City into the new continuity.