DC Studios showed off a more villainous side of its superhero universe with “Clayface,” a body horror movie featuring one of Batman’s longtime rogues. The upcoming film, set to release in theaters on Oct. 23, got a first trailer at CinemaCon, the annual convention for movie theaters owners underway in Las Vegas.
Tom Rhys Harries stars as the shape-shifting villain Clayface, whose real name is Matt Hagen. He starts out as a struggling actor whose face is disfigured and then undergoes a scientific transformation that turns his body entirely into clay. The trailer shows Matt sitting in a hospital bed with a bandaged, bloody face. He’s attacked by a knife-wielding assailant and has mysterious chemicals pumped into him, giving him his powers. Matt’s face changes repeatedly, showing him without an eye or mouth at times, and in the final moments he’s sitting in a bathtub and wipes away his entire face. There’s also a shadowy shot of him with a giant, mace-shaped fist, just like how he would pummel Batman in the DC comics.
James Watkins, who last directed the 2024 English remake of the horror movie “Speak No Evil,” helms the film. The cast also includes Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan and David Dencik.
Clayface first appeared in a 1940 issue of “Detective Comics,” and several people have taken up the moniker to battle Batman across countless comics and several animated shows. He’s appeared in live-action TV on episodes of “Gotham,” “Pennyworth” and “Birds of Prey,” plus animated shows like “Harley Quinn,” “Batman: The Brave and the Bold,” “Young Justice,” “Batman: Caped Crusader” and more.
The relaunched DC Universe soared high with last year’s “Superman,” directed by James Gunn, and will follow that up with this summer’s “Supergirl,” helmed by Craig Gillespie. Next up is the “Superman” sequel “Man of Tomorrow,” set for July 9, 2027, and Matt Reeves’ “The Batman: Part II,” coming Oct. 1, 2027.