The trailer for the Clayface movie offers the first glimpse at a surprising DC character getting their own film. Dedicated DC fans will recognize references to classic comic book storylines and the beloved Batman: The Animated Series. However, those less familiar with DC might not realize the movie is based on a Batman villain just from watching the trailer.
Mike Flanagan, the writer behind shows like Haunting of Hill House and Doctor Sleep, and director James Watkins (Speak No Evil) are aiming for a disturbing, physical horror in this film, but there’s more to it than just scares. The character of Clayface has a rich backstory, and understanding that history will deepen your enjoyment of the movie.
Batman Has Faced Multiple Clayfaces
As a long-time cinema and comic book fan, I’ve always been fascinated by the character of Clayface. It’s wild to think there have been eight different people who’ve taken on that identity in DC Comics, all the way back to 1940! The original Clayface, Basil Karlo, is a particularly tragic figure – a former, somewhat forgotten actor who lost his mind. He started committing crimes, dressing up as the villain he once played on screen, and basically reenacting his old movies. Of course, Batman eventually stopped him, but the story is a really creepy and compelling take on the dangers of obsession and losing yourself in a role.
As a huge Clayface fan, it’s fascinating to look back at the different versions! The second one, Matt Hagen, showed up in ’81 and he’s the treasure hunter who stumbled into a weird, radioactive goo. It turned him into this awesome, shapeshifting clay monster, but he had to keep going back to the source to stay solid. Then, in the late 80s, we got Preston Payne. He was a scientist with a really bad illness, and he tried to use Hagen’s blood to fix himself. It didn’t work out so well – he turned into a unstable mess and needed a suit to keep from falling apart! What’s even crazier is he got this disease that basically ate away at him unless he passed it on to other people by touching them. It was a really cool, sci-fi take on the character for that time.
The 1990s animated series Batman: The Animated Series significantly altered the Clayface character. It combined the origins of Basil Karlo and Matt Hagen into a single story: a disfigured actor who uses a special face cream called “Renuyu” to regain his appearance and reshape his face. Forced by a dangerous businessman named Roland Daggett, the actor impersonates Bruce Wayne to set a trap for Lucius Fox and frame Batman. When he tries to escape Daggett’s control by stealing a large supply of Renuyu, he falls into the cream, which transforms his entire body into malleable clay, allowing him to shapeshift and impersonate anyone.
The Clayface character from Batman: The Animated Series became so popular that DC Comics revised the backstory of the original comic book Clayface, Boris Karlo, in the 2010s. They changed his story to be more similar to Matt Hagen’s version from the animated series, as part of the “Rebirth” storyline.
Which Version of Clayface Is The Movie About?
The upcoming movie, Clayface (scheduled for 2026), appears to be blending elements from the first three versions of the Clayface character. It centers on Matt Hagen, played by Tom Rhys Harries, an up-and-coming actor who suffers a facial injury at the hands of a gangster. Seeking a solution, he undergoes an experimental treatment from a scientist, which slowly turns him into a creature with a body made of clay.
This film offers a fresh interpretation of the character, but it clearly draws inspiration from previous versions, including those played by Boris Karloff, Matt Hagen, and Preston Payne. The hope is that the most memorable aspects of the character and its history are combined to create something exciting and new.
Is Clayface in the Same DCU Universe As the Superman Movie?
Clayface exists within the same DC Universe (DCU) as James Gunn’s upcoming Superman movie (2025). Despite its horror elements, this version of Clayface will share the universe with David Corenswet’s Superman and other DC characters—both heroes and villains—like the planned Supergirl film and the Lanterns HBO series. Interestingly, Clayface has already appeared in the DCU as part of the animated series Creature Commandos, meaning some crossover work has already been completed.
Is Batman In The Clayface Movie?
James Gunn and the team working on Clayface have been careful not to hint at any appearance by Batman, which has disappointed many fans. Though unexpected cameos are always a possibility, DC Studios hasn’t revealed who will play Batman in the new DC Universe, and Clayface doesn’t seem like the right place to introduce such an important character.
The upcoming villain’s movie could explore the beginnings of his criminal life and how he eventually clashed with Batman. The recent Creature Commandos series cleverly addressed the issue of Batman’s absence by briefly showing him as a silhouette, and a similar approach – like a shadowed figure or a quick shot of his costume – would be simple to achieve in this film without revealing who’s playing Batman. However, like the Joker movie, this film is being marketed as an origin story for a Batman villain, despite not actually featuring Batman himself.
Clayface has a release date of October 23rd. Discuss the trailer with us on the ComicBook Forum!
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2026-04-23 02:11