DC’s Clayface Reveal Pushes the DC Universe Into Full Horror Mode
DC Studios has released the first teaser for Clayface, offering a grim first look at Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen and making it clear this is not being sold as a conventional comic book movie. In fact, DC is tackling the film as a frightening new take on the Batman villain, while the teaser itself leans hard into dread, bodily collapse, and a sense of identity coming apart in real time.
A first look at Clayface That’s built on unease
The film follows Matt Hagen, a rising actor whose life spirals after he is mutilated and submits to a dangerous procedure meant to restore his appearance and salvage his career. Instead, he becomes the shape-shifting Clayface. The teaser hints at that descent through images of Hagen bloodied and bandaged, his body starting to break down in ways that make the film’s body-horror ambitions immediately apparent.
That premise already gives the film a different texture than most recent DC releases, but the teaser seems especially interested in making the transformation feel grotesque rather than empowering. Quick flashes of melting skin, fractured reflections, and panic-stricken self-recognition push the material closer to horror than superhero spectacle. Even the film’s big marketing line in the teaser, “Look fear in the face,” underlines that approach to embrace discomfort.
The upcoming DC film is directed by James Watkins, with a script shaped by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, and the story is said to draw inspiration from the “Feat of Clay” arc from Batman: The Animated Series. In addition to Rhys Harries, Clayface supporting cast members include Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, Nancy Carroll, and Joshua James.
Clayface is now set to open in theaters on October 23, 2026, after moving from its earlier September release date. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
