James Gunn Officially Confirms Clayface’s Worrying DCU Timeline Placement

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As a DC fan, I’m so excited we’re finally getting a glimpse of the new movie coming out October 23rd! It’s the start of James Gunn’s fresh take on the DC Universe, and this one dives into the story of Clayface. The actor Tom Rhys Harries plays Matt Hagen, a rising star who suffers a terrible accident, and it completely changes his face into something…well, monstrous and shapeless. It looks really interesting!

While Clayface feels different from other DC projects like Superman, Peacemaker, and Creature Commandos, it still exists within the same universe. However, how this project fits in could create problems for the future of the franchise. DC Studios needs to be cautious, or they risk damaging their new cinematic universe before it truly begins.

When Does Clayface Take Place in the DCU?

Clayface is the third movie planned for the DC Cinematic Universe. It’s scheduled to release after Superman in 2025 and Supergirl, which comes out this June. Including series like Creature Commandos, Peacemaker, and Lanterns, Clayface will be the sixth DC project overall. Despite this, James Gunn has revealed that the film will actually be the first story in the DCU timeline. This makes Clayface the first movie in the franchise that doesn’t follow the chronological order of events, taking place several years before the other recent projects.

While we currently know Clayface happens before Superman, it’s likely it also comes before Creature Commandos. Clayface shows up in multiple episodes with his established comic book abilities and appearance. Since the upcoming Clayface movie will tell his origin story, it almost certainly takes place before the events of Creature Commandos. This would make Clayface the first film in the DC Universe timeline and the beginning of the entire franchise.

It’s unexpected to see this happen so soon after the DC Universe launched, and it could create a concerning pattern for future films. James Gunn has consistently explained that the DCU’s timeline won’t be straightforward. He envisioned stories taking place across different time periods, sometimes even at the same time, but not necessarily in chronological order. This is different from franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which generally tells its stories in order, only using flashbacks or time jumps when essential.

The film Clayface marks the first instance of James Gunn delivering on his promise of a non-traditional timeline for his DC superhero projects. While the movie is expected to be self-contained, with minimal ties to other stories and characters, it should stand on its own regardless of its place in the overall franchise. However, Gunn and the team at DC Studios need to proceed cautiously when using this flexible approach to the timeline in future projects.

Clayface’s Timeline Placement Sets a Troubling Precedent for the DCU

James Gunn wants to replicate the success of Star Wars, which has flourished despite telling stories out of order. However, he might be assuming audiences are more accepting of a franchise without a clear plan for the future. Star Wars works because it’s been around for almost fifty years, allowing Lucasfilm to naturally develop distinct eras, each with its own style and central story. Now, with that history established, Star Wars can freely jump between timelines and fill in details as needed.

Unlike Star Wars, which has a long history to draw from, the DCU is very new – barely over a year old – and still building its core characters, locations, and stories. While telling stories out of order can give James Gunn and DC Studios more creative control, it also carries the risk of confusing or losing viewers. With other projects planned that don’t follow a clear timeline, like Sgt. Rocks and Paradise Lost, the DCU might be creating a complicated and difficult-to-follow universe.

Moviegoers now anticipate that superhero franchises will build towards a unified storyline, largely thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which successfully trained its fans to expect large-scale crossover events. While it might not be fair, audiences will likely expect the same from the DC Universe, but this won’t be possible without a clear and consistent timeline that’s easy to understand.

It’s okay to release stories in a non-chronological order, and it likely won’t harm the overall DC franchise. However, James Gunn and his team need to avoid creating a pattern where projects come out without a clear timeline or connection to the main story. This could confuse audiences and potentially turn them away if it becomes a significant issue. While a project like Clayface isn’t crucial on its own, it could set a problematic example that ultimately hurts the franchise’s long-term success.

Why Clayface Takes Place So Early in the DCU Timeline

James Gunn likely placed Clayface early in the DC Universe timeline for a specific reason. Since Superman is currently set to be the first film in the DCU, the story requires Clayface to already exist as the character Matt Hagen by the time that movie begins. This means Hagen must have transformed into Clayface sometime before we first see him in previous animated series.

The upcoming Clayface film will offer the most detailed look yet at Gotham City within the DC Universe. While Batman’s appearance isn’t confirmed, he’ll definitely be a powerful force influencing the story and the city itself, portrayed as a seasoned vigilante. By introducing Clayface early in the DCU timeline, the filmmakers can show how Batman has affected Gotham without being constrained by the character details that will be established in future movies like The Brave and the Bold.

When the new movie comes out this fall, fans will find out where Clayface fits into the larger DC Universe timeline. The film will probably also reveal how it connects to other DC heroes like Batman and Superman. Until then, we’ll all have to speculate about the details.

It’s likely James Gunn and DC Studios had a specific reason for introducing Clayface so early in their plans. However, they need to be cautious about how quickly they move through the timeline. If they rush things, they could lose viewers who aren’t yet fully invested in this new superhero universe. While Clayface alone won’t determine the success of the DCU, the decision to include him now could establish a pattern that does.

Clayface opens in theaters on October 23, 2026.

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2026-04-27 04:40