James Gunn Teases Horrifying Clayface Movie: DC’s Shape-Shifting Villain Gets R-Rated Treatment

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Clayface, the Batman villain, has the ability to transform into various forms, ranging from a suave Hollywood star to a disgusting, squelching mass of muck, as portrayed in “Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface.” Since his debut in 1940’s Detective Comics #40 during the Golden Age, this character has taken on numerous shapes. Initially, Basil Karlo, a skilled makeup artist and fading star, adopted the role of Clayface – a figure donning a clay mask and costume. However, the version of Clayface created by horror master Mike Flanagan for DC Studios’ “Clayface” movie, produced by James Gunn, is a different story. This R-rated body horror film presents a muddy creature that might make some viewers uncomfortable enough to shield their eyes.

James Gunn, director of the 2006 sci-fi horror film “Slither”, recently shared an experience during a career retrospective for GQ. He was examining a collection of reference images for the current DC movie, “Clayface”. The pictures depicted various grotesque scenes, and they were authentic. Gunn admitted that he had to close his eyes throughout as his colleagues found it amusing, commenting, “James Gunn is the one who can’t stand to look!” due to being so disturbed.

Gunn described Slither as a tribute to films that revolve around body horror, such as Shivers by David Cronenberg and Beware! The Blob starring Larry Hagman, despite the director being quite queasy himself. However, he finds that if he knows it’s not real, his mind adjusts. It’s intriguing, he added.

In the first R-rated film produced by DC Studios, it’s Matt Hagen who will assume the role of Clayface, a character known for shape-shifting in DC comics. This Clayface is influenced by the “Feat of Clay” episodes from Batman: The Animated Series, where Hagen is a skilled actor and master of disguise. His addiction to a putty-like face cream transforms him into a vile metahuman criminal with monstrous features. James Watkins, known for directing films like The Woman in Black and Speak No Evil, is at the helm, with Tom Rhys Harries (star of Jekyll and Hyde and The Gentlemen) portraying the title character.

As a dedicated cinephile, I can’t help but express my excitement about the chilling portrayal of Clayface that’s been crafted by Flanagan. Gunn perfectly encapsulated my feelings when he described it as “pure, unadulterated terror.” The way he’s brought this body-snatching shapeshifter to life is so authentic, psychological, and grotesque – a perfect blend of body horror that will make your skin crawl.

Peter Safran, another producer, echoes the same sentiment. He acknowledges that Clayface might not be as popular as characters like Penguin or Joker, but he believes that their story is equally compelling and resonant. In fact, he suggests that in many ways, it’s even more terrifying. I can’t wait to see this chilling adaptation unfold on the big screen!

When Peter and I first received the Clayface script, one of our discussions revolved around: ‘If we were creating DC films, as we did with Belko Experiment and similar projects, and someone had presented us this horror script titled Clayface, it would have been a dream come true to produce it.’ The reason being, it was an outstanding body horror story. And the fact that it’s part of the DCU is merely an added bonus.

After Superman (released on July 11) and Supergirl (on June 26, 2026), Clayface will be the third movie in the freshly minted DC Universe, making its appearance in cinemas on September 11, 2026.

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2025-07-10 00:11