DC’s Clayface Movie Rises: Sgt. Rock Stalled, Horror Batman Villain Film Gets Green Light

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Although Sgt. Rock’s Easy Company remains stationary, the Clayface movie at DC Studios is progressing steadily. There has been some confusion regarding the Sgt. Rock film that Luca Guadagnino was set to direct, as reported by TheWrap. Initially, it was suggested that the war movie had been canceled and would no longer proceed. However, other sources claim that the production of Sgt. Rock is currently on pause and may resume next summer instead of this one, as initially planned.

Due to a delay in the production of “Sgt. Rock” until next year, it appears that DC Studios led by James Gunn and Peter Safran are pushing ahead with the Clayface movie. This film, penned by Mike Flanagan (known for works like “The Haunting of Hill House” and “Midnight Mass”) and directed by James Watkins (“The Woman in Black”, “Speak No Evil”), is reportedly set to begin production this summer. Gunn and Safran announced earlier in February that the Clayface film would follow the ongoing shooting of “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow”, which has been filming at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the UK since then.

As reported by Umberto Gonzalez from TheWrap, the Clayface character is currently being shaped and will commence production on October 1, contrary to initial plans for summer. The spin-off movie based on the Batman villain is still set to hit theaters on September 11, 2026.

Back in February, when Safran and Gunn dished out details about the DC Studios slate to ComicBook and other go-to sources, they labeled our upcoming Clayface movie as a “mind-blowing body horror flick,” shedding light on the gripping backstory of one of Batman’s iconic baddies. In the usual versions, this guy transforms into a sludge monster with the ability to change shapes.

Despite not being originally planned for the initial chapter of the DC Universe called Gods and Monsters, DC Studios eventually approved the production of Clayface based on a remarkable screenplay by Flanagan. Clayface will carry an R-rating, as director James Gunn described it as “pure, grisly horror that is incredibly real and true, with psychological, body horror, and disgusting elements.

Clayface might not be as universally recognized as characters like Penguin or Joker, but in our opinion, his tale carries just as much emotional depth and suspense. In fact, I’d argue it’s even more chilling,” stated Safran about the Batman villains who have their own standalone projects, such as the Joaquin Phoenix-led Joker films and the Colin Farrell-led Penguin series.

One topic Peter and I discussed when we received the Clayface script for the first time was, “If we had been making DC movies during our work on The Belko Experiment and everything else, and someone had given us this horror script titled Clayface, about this man, we would have been thrilled to have produced this film.” Gunn explained this, looking back at the 2016 horror-thriller they co-produced before joining DC Studios. “The reason being that it was an outstanding body horror script, and the fact that it’s part of the DC Universe is just a bonus,” he added.

As a follower eagerly anticipating the cinematic landscape of the future, I’m thrilled to share that towards the end of 2025, Matt Reeves’ “The Batman Part II” will hit the production line. This masterpiece, produced by DC Studios, however, won’t be part of the new DC Universe.

Next on my calendar is the grand appearance of “Superman,” scheduled for July 11th. Following closely is “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow,” slated for a June 2026 release, and lastly, “Clayface” graces our screens in September 2026.

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2025-04-30 23:20