Summary
James Gunn surprised pretty much everyone when he greenlit aDCUClayfacefilm spearheaded by horror great Mike Flanagan back in December 2024. Given what Flanagan recently said about his screenplay, though, it makes a bit more sense.
Even thoughSupermanis still a little ways off at this point, the hype for Warner Bros. and DC Studios' brand-spanking-newDC Universehas never been higher.Supermanflies into theatres this summer,Peacemakerbegins streaming on HBO Max in August, andLanternsis set to release sometime early next year, withSupergirl: Woman of TomorrowandClayfacehot on its heels. Years after WB’s initial swing at a connected cinematic universe completely flew off the rails, DC fans have something to be excited about. If Mike Flangian’s script mostly stays intact after official rewrites, Bat-fans should be delighted withClayface, assuming what the director recently revealed in an interview is true.
Writer/director Mike Flanagan recently sat down with Comicbook.com to promote his upcoming filmThe Life of Chuck. Given that Comicbook.com is, well, Comicbook.com, they got around to asking Flanagan about what inspiredClayface, since he wrote the initial screenplay for the movie."‘Feat of Clay,’ Ron Perlman, to me, that’s it,“he explained.“That two-parter knocked me out. The short answer is that is absolutely what inspired my script. That is the world I wanted to live in.Batman: The Animated Series,when I was growing up, was my Batman. As much as Keaton was my Batman,The Animated Seriesreally was my Batman.”
“I don’t know what they’re doing with ‘Clayface.’ I’m not directing it, and that filmmaker will need to make it their own. I know that they’re doing work on the script. I’m off doing other things now, I really hope it remains true to the spirit of what I wanted it to be. But it’s not my movie, so I’ll be in the audience with you, anxious to see how it comes out.”
It’s Hard To Think Of A Better Inspiration ForClayfaceThanBatman: The Animated Series
While it is obviously unclear whatClayfacewill end up looking likewhen it hits theatres late next year, usingBatman: The Animated Series' “Feat of Clay” is an incredible starting point. The two-part episode tells the origin story of Clayface, here an actor named Matt Hagen, who goes from successful star to unemployable due to a car accident. A shady businessman offers Hagen a second shot at an acting career by offering him the use of an experimental drug cleverly called Renuyu. In a story that parallels numerous real-life tragedies, Hagen becomes addicted to the substance and will do anything to get more of it, including any crime necessary. Things spiral from there for Hagen, as you can imagine. It is a much more grounded take than something likeHarley Quinn’s more comedic spin on the character (played by the great Alan Tudyk).
AlthoughClayfaceis getting rewritesfromDriveandObi-Wan Kenobiscreenwriter Hossein Amini, Flanagan’s script must have been in great shape to get a green light from DC Studios so quickly after revamping their cinematic universe. AssumingClayfacehits its September 2026 release date, it’ll only be the third DCU film released afterSupermanandSupergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. With numerous other films like the Batman-centricThe Brave and the BoldandSwamp Thingstill in current development as opposed to pre-production, DC Studios' heads James Gunn and Peter Safran have to feel confident aboutClayface’s prospects regardless of rewrites. Otherwise, theDCUcould be following in the footsteps of the DCEU, which is something no one wants.
Clayfaceis currently set to release in theatres on June 20, 2025.
