Clayface teaser: Batman villain origin tale brings bone-chilling horror to James Gunn's DCU; fans say 'your move Marvel'

James Gunn's DC Universe is branching out in the horror genre with its upcoming body horror film, Clayface, based on the popular Batman villain.

Apr 23, 2026, 09:14:45 IST

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James Gunn's DCU is going the horror way. The upcoming film from the superhero universe, Clayface, is a body-horror film, and the first teaser, released on Wednesday, has fans both excited and spooked. The origin story for the popular Batman villain stars Tom Rhys Harries, and will fit in Gunn's large DC Universe, which also includes Superman, Peacemaker, Supergirl, and a planned Batman film.

Tom Rhys Harries stars as the titular Batman villain in Clayface.

Clayface teaser out!

On Wednesday, filmmaker James Gunn unveiled an official poster of Clayface. The poster has a dark, intense, almost horror-like tone. It shows a close-up side profile of a human face emerging from deep shadows. This was followed by the official teaser for the film, which introduces Tom Rhys Harries as the titular shape-shifting villain Clayface.

The teaser shows how Clayface, originally Matt Hagen, starts out as a struggling actor whose face is disfigured. He then undergoes a scientific transformation that turns his body entirely into clay. The teaser incorporated elements of visceral horror, shocking the fans.

Fans excited

Fans have expressed excitement for the project, which takes the DC Universe into a darker direction after relatively light titles like Superman and Peacemaker. One wrote, “I am so glad that they are going full shape-shifting clay monster, and not doing the typical live-action thing of only just giving him a malleable face.” Another praised the choice of genre and added, “I love the idea of doing different genres, because comics really can be so varied depending on the specific run or title.”

Many said they were confident of the film's content, given the people behind it. “The fact that Mike Flanagan wrote this film and adapted the Matt Hagen storyline from Batman TAS has me really excited,” said one fan. Another praised the teaser's concept and wrote, “No Dialogue, Only Horror Sounds, and a faint eerie song playing in the background, THIS is what a horror teaser should be like. Peak Cinema.”

Referring to the rivalry between DC and Marvel, one fan quipped, “Your move, Marvel!” However, to be fair, Marvel has dabbled in horror with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

About Clayface

Clayface first appeared in a 1940 issue of Detective Comics. Over the years, the character has appeared in live-action TV on episodes of Gotham, Pennyworth, and Birds of Prey, plus animated shows from the DC world. Reports say that this iteration of Clayface's story is inspired by Batman: The Animated Series from the 90s.

James Watkins, who previously directed the 2024 English-language remake of Speak No Evil, directs the film. The cast also includes Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, and David Dencik. The film is set to be released on October 23.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abhimanyu Mathur
Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.Read More

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