Is DC Studios' next movie, Clayface, already in trouble? Tickets recently went on sale, and according to Box Office Theory, the R-rated horror movie is currently 80% behind Supergirl at the same point ahead of its release. This past June, it opened with $38 million in North America during its first weekend in theaters.
There's a big difference between a PG-13 Superman follow-up and a body horror movie, making Resident Evil a much better comparison. Even with Zach Cregger directing, most didn't have high hopes for that movie, given that every previous instalment had been largely terrible.
Well, Clayface is reportedly 66% behind that movie in terms of pre-sales, meaning it's currently on course to debut with less than $20 million. That means the movie will need to have a strong hold in subsequent weekends and a considerably better start overseas.
With a reported $40 million production budget and an estimated $30 million marketing spend, Clayface will have to earn roughly $100 million to break even. As of now, that doesn't look likely, meaning it could end up losing money.
Supergirl lost a significant amount, and there have been conflicting reports about whether Superman's budget spiralled out of control to the tune of over $300 million. If so, how can Skydance justify allowing DC Studios to make movies that aren't turning a profit?
If Clayface exceeds expectations and Man of Tomorrow is a huge hit, then the DCU will almost certainly continue as planned. If not, new Warner Bros. Discovery owners, Paramount, may decide to take the franchise back to the drawing board.
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.