A Clayface movie is officially moving forward at DC Studios, with Matt Reeves and Lynn Harris producing through their 6th & Idaho Productions company. The news comes from Variety, which confirms that Mike Flanagan is writing the screenplay.
Clayface Movie Officially in Development
Flanagan, known for his work on The Haunting of Hill House and Doctor Sleep, originally pitched the project years ago. While he will be writing the movie, his schedule—currently tied up with a new take on The Exorcist for Universal and a Stephen King Carrie TV series for Amazon—makes him unlikely to direct.
The Clayface movie adds to DC Studios’ slate of unique projects, though it’s unclear where it fits within James Gunn’s DCU roadmap. Gunn previously teased that a new DC project had been greenlit, and it now appears that Clayface was the mystery project, which has also been recently rumored.
Potential Connections to DCU and Elseworlds
Given that Gunn did not include Clayface in the Chapter 1 “Gods and Monsters” lineup, the movie might be part of the Elseworlds banner. This designation includes standalone projects like Reeves’ The Batman and Todd Phillips’ Joker.
While Clayface is best known as a Batman villain, it’s unclear if the Caped Crusader will appear in the film. Reeves’ The Penguin series succeeded without Robert Pattinson’s Batman, so it’s possible this movie could follow a similar approach. Alternatively, the film could exist within Gunn’s DCU but not feature Batman directly as I believe Gunn said the DCU Dark Knight will first appear in Brave and the Bold.
Alan Tudyk voices Clayface in Creature Commandos (and the Harley Quinn series), so if the movie is set in the DCU, expect Tudyk to play the live-action version.
Who Is Clayface? Exploring His Comic Origins
In DC Comics lore, Clayface has been portrayed in multiple ways. The original Clayface, Basil Karlo, was a washed-up actor who turned to crime using the persona from one of his horror films. Later iterations introduced the shape-shifting, monstrous version of the character, known for his tragic backstory and ability to mimic anyone.
Matt Reeves happens to favor grounded and real takes on characters, so perhaps the film is going with Basil. Flanagan previously teased on Twitter his movie is a “horror/thriller/tragedy.”
What Fans Can Expect
James Gunn has emphasized that DC Studios will produce a wide variety of projects, each with distinct tones. From the animated mature take of Creature Commandos to the hopeful vision of Superman, Clayface could carve out its own niche as a darker, more introspective tale.
DC and James Gunn have yet to confirm and no release date has been set. A rumor said Clayface would get released some time after the release of Supergirl, which hits theaters June 26, 2026.
