DC Studios has had a challenging year, with Supergirl proving both a critical and commercial disappointment after the far more successful Superman last July.
Lanterns, meanwhile, has received positive reviews and strong ratings, but divided an already fractured fanbase. Now, all eyes are on Clayface to see whether the $40 million horror movie can turn a profit and prove the DCU's doubters wrong.
An early screening took place last night, and a couple of early reactions have surfaced on social media. The DC Film News fan account has shared what one attendee told them, with the person enthusing, "We haven’t felt like this leaving a movie since Obsession."
Obsession is one of the best movies of 2026, so that's quite a compliment. Meanwhile, "AnniesHorror," a horror fan with 5.29K YouTube subscribers, has hailed the movie as "f***ing awesome."
Here's the catch: this was clearly a fan/influencer screening meant to generate the same overwhelmingly positive reviews we saw for Supergirl before critics started weighing in. It's also worth noting that the review embargo doesn't lift until Wednesday, October 21, a day before Thursday preview screenings (that was the case for the Woman of Tomorrow's movie, too).
Tom Rhys Harries, Naomi Ackie, James Watkins, and Peter Safran attended the screening, and we often see far more positive social media reactions when fans—and critics—have been treated to a meet-and-greet with celebrities
So, for now, we'll have to wait and see. Early box office tracking for Clayface is on the low side, but it's far too soon to write this one off. If nothing else, next summer's Man of Tomorrow will almost certainly be a hit for DC Studios.
Stay tuned for more on Clayface as we have it.
In Clayface, Matt Hagen’s meteoric rise from Gotham street kid to Hollywood leading man is tragically cut short when a local crime boss’s actions leave him horribly disfigured. Abandoned by his team and with nothing left, Matt seeks out a cutting-edge treatment that miraculously returns him to his former self, but also unexpectedly affects his grip on reality, spiralling him down a destructive path of all-consuming revenge.
The movie stars Tom Rhys Harries in the title role of the cult-favourite villain from Gotham's rogues' gallery. The cast includes Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella and Eddie Marsan, as well as Nancy Carroll and Joshua James.
James Watkins directs from a screenplay by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, with Flanagan also getting a "Story by" credit. Clayface is produced by Matt Reeves, Lynn Harris, James Gunn and Peter Safran, with Michael E. Uslan, Chantal Nong Vo, Lars P. Winther, Rafi Crohn and Paul Ritchie executive producing.
Watkins' creative team includes director of photography Rob Hardy, production designer James Price, editor Jon Harris and costume designer Keith Madden. Volker Bertelmann (Conclave) is the movie's composer.
Clayface will be released in theaters on October 23.