James Gunn and Peter Safran, co-heads of DC Studios, have confirmed the upcoming Clayface movie will be canon within the DC Universe (DCU) and receive an R rating. Clayface, a long-time Batman adversary with the ability to alter his clay-like body, first appeared as Basil Karlo in Detective Comics #40 (1940). His power allows him to shapeshift into anyone or anything.
DC Studios announced a September 11, 2026, release date for the film last month. The project reportedly stemmed from the success of HBO's The Penguin series. Horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan penned the script, with Lynn Harris producing alongside The Batman director Matt Reeves.
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During a DC Studios presentation to IGN, Gunn and Safran explained Clayface's inclusion in the DCU, differentiating it from Matt Reeves' The Batman Epic Crime Saga. Gunn stated definitively, "Clayface is totally DCU." Safran clarified, "The only thing that's in Matt's world…is the Batman Trilogy, the Penguin series…still under DC Studios, but those are the only things. It was important that Clayface be part of the DCU. It's an origin story for a classic Batman villain that we want to have in our world.” Gunn added that Clayface wouldn't fit the grounded tone of Reeves' universe, noting it's "very outside of the grounded non-super metahuman characters in Matt's world."
DC Studios is reportedly finalizing negotiations with James Watkins (Speak No Evil) to direct. Filming is scheduled to begin this summer. Safran described the film as an "incredible body horror film" and an "indie style chiller," while Gunn characterized it as "pure f***ing horror…totally real…psychological and body horror and gross." The R rating is confirmed. Gunn further commented, "If we were producing movies five years ago…and somebody had brought us this horror script called Clayface…we would have died to have produced this movie…the fact that it's in the DCU is just a plus.”
