MOVIE NEWS – The new Batman universe film is going straight into horror territory, but what really gets me hyped is discovering the true inspiration behind it. I was never interested in a Clayface movie – until I learned what DC actually has in store. Now? I’m ready to be surprised.

Let’s be honest: Clayface has never been the most captivating Batman villain. Too grotesque, too cartoonish, just… too much. His shapeshifting powers always felt like a narrative shortcut to justify plot twists, rather than the heart of a great story. So when rumors swirled about him getting his own film in James Gunn’s new DC universe, my excitement was somewhere between lukewarm and “I’ll skip it.” But then I found out who was behind the concept, what tone DC wanted, and suddenly everything changed.

Clayface Hits the Big Screen – Face, Date, and All

The Clayface movie is officially set for release on September 11, 2026. Deadline reports that Tom Rhys Harries will star as the infamous villain, following what James Gunn called a “long and exhaustive search.” The Suicide Squad creator and DC Studios boss said he was “blown away” by the audition – and Matt Reeves, director of The Batman and producer via his 6th & Idaho label, agreed.

But that’s not even the best part. What actually shocked me—and what makes this project pop—is the direction Warner and DC are taking: a straight-up horror film. That’s right. No neon brawls or city-flattening finales, but a tragic, pitch-black story in the tradition of the best genre cinema.

Here’s where things get really interesting. The first draft of the screenplay comes from none other than Mike Flanagan, mastermind behind The Haunting of Hill House and Doctor Sleep. Flanagan has been dreaming of a Clayface film for years. He told ComicBook.com that his biggest inspiration was the double-episode “Feat of Clay” from Batman: The Animated Series.

Flanagan said: “That story is perfect. To me, Ron Perlman IS Clayface. That double episode floored me. It absolutely inspired my script. That’s the world I wanted to live in.” “Feat of Clay” (1992) tells the story of Matt Hagen, a washed-up actor who, after a brutal accident, is manipulated by a ruthless businessman into using an experimental substance to change his appearance—at the cost of his mind and body. Yes, it’s The Substance meets Batman. What starts as a second chance becomes an existential nightmare, as Hagen loses control and identity, mutating into a monstrous, formless creature—one of Batman’s most disturbing foes ever.

Horror, Tragedy, and Superheroes: A Recipe for a New Kind of DC Film

Though Flanagan won’t direct (the job goes to James Watkins, director of The Woman in Black), his vision remains the backbone of the project. And here’s the good news: after rumors of a total rewrite by Hossein Amini (Drive, Obi-Wan Kenobi), James Gunn confirmed on social media: “It’s all Mike’s story. That’s why we’re making this movie, because we loved his take. Any changes will be minor.”

At a time when superhero films are struggling to keep things fresh, Clayface might just flip the script. This isn’t a wannabe blockbuster aiming to outmuscle Marvel, but a stripped-back, emotional, and chilling story—the kind we saw in Joker or the atmospheric first The Batman. It’s a film that could walk the line between character drama and body horror, as ComicBook.com notes, and maybe even earn that rare R rating (17+)—almost unheard of for DC.

The Legacy of Batman: The Animated Series

What really excites me, more than the horror direction or the star-studded team, is that this project’s roots run deep in the most beloved chapter of the Batman mythos: the legendary ’90s animated series. For a whole generation, that was “their” Batman—just like Flanagan says. Kevin Conroy’s voice, Gotham’s haunting shadows, the broken, complex villains. That series didn’t shy away from tough, grown-up themes, and managed to deliver some of the greatest Bat-stories ever—even within its Saturday morning format.

Bringing that spirit back, not just as an homage but as the engine of the story, is why Clayface has me hooked. If DC finally gives horror and tragedy their due as genres within superhero cinema, maybe we’ll get a film in the new DCU that just wants to be a damn good story—and nothing more.

Source: 3djuegos