DC Studios released the first trailer for Clayface yesterday, and while we've yet to see Matt Hagen in his comic-accurate monstrous form, the sneak peek has still generated plenty of intrigue among fans.
As a full-blown body horror movie, it will be interesting to see how it fits into the wider DCU and whether it can differentiate itself from The Subtance. There are some hard-to-ignore similarities with that movie, though Clayface's comic book backdrop should help it stand out.
We first met Clayface in the animated Creature Commandos TV series that kickstarted the DCU. After brutally attacking Rick Flag Sr., he was killed by Frankenstein. There was nothing to suggest that the villain used to be an actor or that he was anything more than a creep who was really interested in Themyscira potentially being comprised solely of lesbians.
There are multiple versions of Clayface on the page, so that may not have even been Matt Hagen. Regardless, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has just taken to Threads to reveal that the movie is set before Superman and is "the first DCU film out of chronological order."
This could mean that Hagen's transformation takes place before Batman arrived in Gotham City and, crucially, opens the door to the movie explaining what we saw in Creature Commandos.
Asked how Clayface ties into the wider DCU, Gunn told a fan, "It's very connected, but as always, the standalone story is what's most important."
He later elaborated by writing, "From the start we've been clear the DCU would be interconnected, but each project would be full expressions of their writers & directors (similar to how DC Comics work - Saga of the Swamp Thing, Justice League International, Killing Joke, & All-Star Squadron are not one tone, and neither are Superman, Lanterns, Peacemaker, & Clayface)."
"The film or show will play in whatever genre suits the story best. Clayface is not a 'hybrid superhero horror film,' it is a horror film."
With it now 100% official that Clayface is set in the DCU and not Matt Reeves' Bat-verse, the door is closed on the movie tying into The Batman Part II. Despite that, Gunn did say that Reeves is "producing Clayface and Dynamic Duo with me and Peter [Safran]."
You can check out the first Clayface teaser trailer in the player below.
DC Studios' first-ever foray into the genre, Clayface is a horror thriller from director James Watkins, starring Tom Rhys Harries in the title role of the Gotham City villain.
Clayface unravels one man’s horrifying descent from rising Hollywood star to revenge-filled monster in a story that explores the loss of one’s identity and humanity, corrosive love, and the dark underbelly of scientific ambition.
The film also stars 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, story by Flanagan, based on characters from DC. The film is produced by Matt Reeves, Lynn Harris, James Gunn and Peter Safran, with Michael E. Uslan, Rafi Crohn, Paul Ritchie, Chantal Nong Vo and Lars P. Winther executive producing.
Watkins' creative team includes director of photography Rob Hardy, production designer James Price, editor Jon Harris, visual effects supervisor Angus Bickerton, costume designer Keith Madden, and casting director Lucy Bevan.
Clayface opens in theaters in North America on October 23 and internationally beginning on October 21.