With just over a month until Clayface arrives in theaters, DC Studios has begun the next stage of its marketing campaign for the R-rated DC Comics adaptation.
Amid rumours that tickets go on sale this week, a new poster has dropped, teasing the shapeshifting monster's comic-accurate design. We know the full reveal is being saved for the movie itself, but imagery like this is bound to build excitement among comic book readers.
Based on how DC Studios has marketed previous titles, we'd expect a trailer (and those tickets) as soon as tomorrow or Wednesday. Once screenings start booking up, we'll get a better idea of whether Clayface is struggling to draw interest from regular audiences or if the DCU is about to get its own Obsession moment.
Will Clayface's next trailer emphasise the character's connection to Batman and Gotham City? That's one possibility, while continuing to bill it as a standalone tale is another. Either way, after Supergirl, the franchise needs a box office win.
Describing this version of Clayface as a "true body horror of a Cronenberg-type movie," DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran said, "We’re not just telling a villain story, but a real psychological unravelling. It leans into horror and psychological thriller in a way that definitely differentiates it from more traditional superhero entries, while still being anchored in what I would say is a recognisable character."
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.