DC Studios has released the first full trailer for Clayface, and it's not an exaggeration to say that this looks unlike any other comic book movie we've seen.
Revealing more about what leads Matt Hagen to undergo the procedure that eventually transforms him into the shape-shifting monster we first met in Creature Commandos, the trailer also teases his final form. That comes in the preview's closing seconds, though the trailer stops short of revealing his full "clay" form.
It was recently confirmed that, while the Clayface we know from the Batman comics will appear in the movie, he won't be featured in any marketing materials. Instead, the reveal is being saved for theaters, though we have heard from test screenings that it's very comic-accurate.
In terms of body horror, the trailer certainly isn't lacking, as it teases a moment with the desperate Matt about to cut his eyelids open with a pair of scissors...on a plane. Filmmaker James Watkins and lead star Tom Rhys Harries discuss that and more in a newly released Clayface trailer breakdown, which you'll also find below.
Supergirl may not have panned out as DC Studios hoped, but Clayface looks like it has the potential to compete with Obsession and Backrooms as one of the best horror movies of the year. We'll have to wait and see on that front, however, as these villain-led origin stories tend to be hit-or-miss.
"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," reveals the new synopsis for Clayface.
"Abandoned by his team and with nothing left, Matt seeks out a cutting-edge treatment that miraculously returns him to his former self," it adds, "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.