Batman Villain Confirmed to Appear in DC TV Show Ahead of Their 2026 DCU Movie Debut

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I’m so excited! Clayface is coming to live-action before his big debut in the DCU! It’s happening in a standalone movie, directed by James Watkins and written by Mike Flanagan, hitting theaters on September 11, 2026. It’s an R-rated horror film starring Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, an actor who gets disfigured and tries some pretty drastic things to fix it… which, of course, leads him to becoming Clayface! This movie will give us a taste of the Batman universe before James Gunn’s The Brave and the Bold really kicks things off with the main DCU Batman. It’s going to be a dark and gritty origin story, and I can’t wait!

The first trailer for the new animated Bat-Fam series on Amazon Prime Video revealed that the character Clayface will appear. This version of Clayface, a villain originally a struggling actor, will be suitable for all ages, offering a family-friendly take compared to some darker portrayals planned for next year.

The new animated series, Bat-Fam, will start streaming on Amazon Prime Video on November 10th. It continues the story from the Merry Little Batman movie. Even though Batman stopped crime in Gotham City in the 2024 film, his enemies are back, and five major villains have been announced for Bat-Fam.

The new children’s cartoon will likely introduce viewers to the villain Clayface. His story is inspired by a popular two-part episode, “Feat of Clay,” from the classic Batman: The Animated Series, and the movie based on it has just finished filming in the U.K.

Although different versions of Clayface have appeared in live-action shows like Birds of Prey, Pennyworth, and Gotham, this will be the first time he’s featured in a major movie. He’s been a popular character in animated series for years, appearing in shows like Batman: The Animated Series, The Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and others.

It’s currently unknown who will play Clayface in the upcoming Bat-Fam series. However, Reid Scott, Kevin Michael Richardson, and Diedrich Bader have been cast in secret roles and could be voicing the character. Natasha Leggero is also a possibility, potentially playing a version of Clayface with a changed gender.

The supporting cast features Luke Wilson as Batman, Yonas Kibreab as Damian Wayne, James Cromwell as Alfred, Haley Tju as Claire Selton, London Hughes as Alicia Pennyworth, and Michael Benyaer as R’as Al Ghul.

Clayface’s Presence at DC Is Growing, And That’s Great

Both the “Bat-Family” stories and James Gunn’s new DC Universe have a similar plan for the introduction of Damian Wayne. When “The Brave and the Bold” arrives, it will show Bruce Wayne teaming up with his son, Damian, in Gotham City. While DC Studios will present Damian as the classic Robin, the “Bat-Family” comics will initially portray him as “Little Batman.”

We don’t yet have many details about The Brave and the Bold movie, including who the main villain will be. There’s speculation about whether Tom Rhys Harries might return as Clayface, potentially setting up a battle between heroes and villains. While Clayface appeared in Creature Commandos, James Gunn has suggested that the Clayface we see in The Brave and the Bold could be a different, more frightening version.

If the upcoming mature-themed blockbuster does well, we might see Clayface – especially the version known as Matt Hagen – featured much more prominently in DC comics, movies, and merchandise. However, this all depends on whether the film is actually well-received by audiences.

Since Christopher Nolan’s Batman films, DC movies and shows have generally tried to portray Batman in a realistic and dark way. While this approach has been successful for some stories, it’s meant that many of Batman’s more unusual and fantastical villains, like Clayface, haven’t gotten the attention they deserve.

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2025-11-06 19:04