After expressing interest in a Clayface film both publicly and toDC Films for theirDC Extended Universe (DCEU) franchise, Flanaganpitched the project to the newly formed DC Studios in March 2023. The film and Flanagan's involvement were confirmed in December 2024 as part of the DCU, the successor to the DCEU. Flanagan was unable to direct the film due to scheduling issues. Watkins was hired in February 2025, Amini was rewriting the script by May, and Rhys Harries was cast in June. Additional casting took place in the following months. Filming began in August 2025 with location filming inLiverpool, England, while soundstage work occurred atWarner Bros. Studios Leavesden. Filming concluded at the start of November.
Clayface is abody horror story about an up-and-coming actor whose face is disfigured by a gangster. As a last resort, he turns to a scientist who transforms his body into clay.[1][2]
WriterMike Flanagan discussed making a Clayface film with DC numerous times before it was greenlit due to the strength of his pitch
In January 2021, filmmakerMike Flanagan publicly expressed interest in making a standalone film focused on theDC Comics characterClayface.[8] A fan of the character's portrayal in theBatman: The Animated Series two-part episode "Feat of Clay" (1992), in which he was voiced byRon Perlman,[9] Flanagan wanted the project to be ahorror film that was also athriller and a tragedy.[8] He previously discussed making a "horror-leaning" Clayface film for theDC Extended Universe (DCEU) franchise in a general meeting withDC Films producerJon Berg. Flanagan felt the meeting "kind of went nowhere",[10][11] and said DC did not "bite on" his idea, but he was ready to commit to the project at any time.[12]
Discovery, Inc. andWarner Bros.' parent companyWarnerMedia—the owner of DC—merged in April 2022 to becomeWarner Bros. Discovery (WBD), led by president and CEODavid Zaslav. The new company was expected to restructureDC Entertainment and Zaslav began searching for an equivalent toMarvel Studios presidentKevin Feige to lead the new subsidiary.[13] Writer/directorJames Gunn and producerPeter Safran were announced as the co-chairs and co-CEOs of the newly formedDC Studios at the end of October 2022.[14] A week after starting their new roles, the pair had begun planning a newDC Universe (DCU) that would be a "soft reboot" of the DCEU.[15][16][17] By the time they were hired, filmmakerMatt Reeves was meeting with directors and writers about multiple potential film and television spin-offs related to his standalone DC filmThe Batman (2022). These projects were in early development and centered on members ofBatman'srogues gallery, such as Clayface.[18]The Batman and its spin-offs were expected to be kept separate from the new DCUshared universe under the "DC Elseworlds" label.[19][20]
In March 2023, Flanagan and hisIntrepid Pictures partner Trevor Macy met with Gunn and Safran topitch a Clayface film in which the character would not be portrayed as a villain like he is in the comics. At that time, the character was expected to appear in Reeves'sThe Batman: Part II (2027) but Flanagan did not pitch his project as being connected to Reeves's films. It was unclear at that time whether the film would be part of the DCU or Elseworlds should it move forward.[21][11] Flanagan said the report was "entirely speculative",[22] and in May he added that a Clayface film was not in development and he was participating in the2023 Writers Guild of America strike.[23] In August, the film was reported to be in development with Flanagan as writer and director. Reeves, Gunn, and Safran were listed as producers.[24]Clayface was introduced to the DCU in thefirst season of the animated seriesCreature Commandos (2024–25), the first DCU project to be released, withAlan Tudyk providing the character's voice after previously doing so for a different version of Clayface in the non-DCU animated seriesHarley Quinn (2019–present).[25]
DC Studios officially greenlitClayface in December 2024,[26] as part of the DCU. Gunn explained that he had not planned to make a film about Clayface, but was won over by Flanagan's pitch and subsequent script drafts.[27] Filming was expected to begin in early 2025 and the studio was searching for a different director due to Flanagan's commitments tohisThe Exorcist film and aCarrie miniseries.[26][21] Flanagan said he enjoyed developing the project with Reeves, and then with Gunn and Safran, and this was the first time in his career where he had to leave a project he was passionate about due to scheduling concerns.[28] Several days after the greenlight was revealed, the studio scheduled the film for release on September 11, 2026. Gunn, Safran, and Reeves were confirmed to be producing alongside Lynn Harris of Reeves's company 6th & Idaho Productions.[29] The film was intended to be produced on a "stripped down" budget of around $40 million.[30][3] Safran said the film would not have acampy tone and instead compared it to the horror filmThe Fly (1986).[31]
DC Studios was eyeingJ. A. Bayona to direct the film by the end of 2024.[32] The studio was set to hear pitches from potential directors in the week of February 17, 2025, includingJames Watkins. Casting had begun by then, and the director was expected to be involved in that process once they were hired.[33][32]Demián Rugna was also approached, but declined because he was not familiar with the character and was not interested in making a superhero film.[34] Anthony D'Alessandro and Justin Kroll atDeadline Hollywood reported thatJeff Wadlow was also on the list of potential directors,[33] but Aaron Couch and Borys Kit ofThe Hollywood Reporter said Wadlow was never in the mix. They added that the film was considering potential production locations in North America, unlike other DC Studios films that were based in the United Kingdom, due to its lower budget. The film was described as a "Hollywood horror story" about the original incarnation of Clayface,[32][1] and was expected to be set in both Hollywood andGotham City. It was unclear whether filming would take place in Los Angeles following theJanuary 2025 Southern California wildfires.[35] Watkins entered negotiations to direct on February 21 after he gave a final presentation to Gunn the day before.[1]
A few days after Watkins's selection was revealed, Gunn and Safran confirmed that he was in talks to direct, casting was underway, and the film would be part of the DCU'sChapter One: Gods and Monsters slate. They were aiming to start filming in the middle of 2025. Safran called it "anorigin story for a classicBatman villain that we want to have" in the DCU, and Gunn hoped it would work for horror fans who were not interested in DC, describing it as abody horror film. He said Tudyk would not reprise his role as Clayface, despite Gunn's intention to have the same actors portraying characters across different mediums, because the character was not Tudyk's "primary role" in the DCU; Tudyk primarily voicedAlex Sartorius / Doctor Phosphorus inCreature Commandos.[36][35][37] Later in February, journalistJeff Sneider reported thatDaniel Radcliffe was one of two actors eyed to portray Clayface in the film,[38] but Gunn said Radcliffe was not being considered.[39] The next month, Sneider reported that another writer had joined the film to perform a "significant pass" on Flanagan's script.[40]
By April 2025, the start of filming was pushed to that October.[41]Hossein Amini was revealed to be rewriting the script a month later.[42] Flanagan confirmed that he was no longer involved and said he expected Watkins to "make it [his] own", but he hoped the film would remain true to the spirit of what he originally wanted it to be.[9]Tom Blyth,George MacKay,Jack O'Connell, andLeo Woodall were in the running and read for the title role in early June,[43] but Gunn and Safran "weren't ready to pull the trigger" on any of those actors and decided to widen the search.[3] Later that month, Gunn announced that relative newcomerTom Rhys Harries had been cast as Clayface "after a long and incredibly exhaustive search".[44] Amini had completed multiple drafts by then,[45] and Gunn said the script was entirely Flanagan's story with minor changes being made to finalize theshooting script.[46] The film was intended to receive anR-rating from theMotion Picture Association.[47] The characterMatt Hagen, the second incarnation of Clayface in the comics, was expected to appear.[48] Filming was set to take place at DC Studios' production hub atWarner Bros. Studios Leavesden in England.[45][49] By early July, filming had reportedly been moved up to start the following month.[50]
In the week of July 14, reading sessions for the film's female lead were held in England.Naomi Ackie emerged as the top choice for the role and was set to enter formal talks the next week.[2][51] Her casting as the scientist who creates Clayface was confirmed a month later, whenMax Minghella was in final talks to join the cast as a Gotham City police detective who is dating Ackie's character.[5]James Price was the production designer, after previously working with Watkins on his filmSpeak No Evil (2024),[52][independent source needed] while Keith Madden was the costume designer.[53]
Principal photography began on August 31, 2025, inLiverpool, England,[54] under theworking titleCorinthians.[55]Rob Hardy was the cinematographer, returning from the DCU filmSupergirl (2026).[56][independent source needed] Filming was previously expected to start in the middle of 2025,[36] and then in October.[41]Location shooting in Liverpool, where scenes forThe Batman were also shot,[7] was taking place in thecity centre. Gotham-themed vehicles were stored at the formerMerseyside Police headquarters.[57] Scenes on August 31 were filmed inDerby Square with theLaw Courts building standing in for Gotham Hospital,[54] while part of North John Street was made to look like the Gotham Docks,[7] and theLiverpool Central Library doubled for Gotham City Crown Court.[4]Eddie Marsan was revealed to be part of the cast.[7] Additional filming locations in Liverpool includedPier Head and the oldBirkenhead Tunnel. Filming also took place in the nearby town ofWallasey, including at theSeacombe Ferry Terminal. On September 11, filming took place on the Marine Promenade outside Adventureland in the suburb ofNew Brighton. A house on Tollemache Street was dressed as an American home for filming.[58] Soundstage work took place at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in England.[45] Filmingwrapped on November 1.[59]
Clayface is scheduled to be released theatrically byWarner Bros. Pictures in the United States on September 11, 2026.[29] It will be part of the DCU's Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.[35]
^Couch, Aaron; Kit, Borys (December 13, 2024)."Heat Vision".Heat Vision (newsletter).Archived from the original on December 13, 2024. RetrievedDecember 13, 2024.
^abcCouch, Aaron; Kit, Borys (February 14, 2025)."Heat Vision".Heat Vision (newsletter).Archived from the original on February 14, 2025. RetrievedFebruary 14, 2025.
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