James Gunn Confirms ‘Clayface’ Will Return to the DCU, and Batman Fans Are Already Connecting the Dots

Few Batman villains have waited as long for a proper big-screen spotlight as Clayface, and fewer still have been handed an R-rated body horror movie to headline. With DC Studios’ latest experiment now on the doorstep, the question on every fan’s mind is what comes next for the shapeshifter.

Clayface debuted in 1940 in ‘Detective Comics’ #40 as a washed-up actor turned criminal, and his shapeshifting powers were established later. This new version centers on Matt Hagen, an up-and-coming actor whose disfigured face drives him toward an experimental treatment that turns him into a monster. Tom Rhys Harries plays the role in a film directed by James Watkins, with Naomi Ackie also starring.

The movie held its premiere on Tuesday night, and it has been a big week for the DCU’s horror gamble. Early reactions have called it brutal and gruesome, and DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has now added some news of his own.

Watch the first trailer for #Clayface. The new DC horror film is in theaters October 23. https://t.co/gqrrtJSou5

— Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 (@RottenTomatoes) April 22, 2026

Speaking to Cinemex on the red carpet, Gunn confirmed that Clayface will return in a future DCU project. He said one of the most fun parts of building the DCU is telling stories that are very different from one another, in very different genres, that still come together at certain points. He added that he can’t wait for fans to see what the studio does with the character next.

Gunn didn’t say where or when the return will happen. That has left plenty of room for speculation about whether it will be a follow-up film, a television appearance or a crossover.

Hagen has already appeared in the DCU before, in the first season of the animated series ‘Creature Commandos’, and Gunn has confirmed that the characters are one and the same. That makes a return in a second season of that show an obvious possibility. A guest spot there would also be consistent with Gunn’s comments about stories from different genres crossing paths.

The bigger prize for fans is Batman. Clayface is a staple of the Dark Knight’s rogues’ gallery, so appearances in ‘The Brave and the Bold’ or another Batman-led DCU movie feel like natural fits. The new film is also the first DCU story chronologically, and it exists in the same universe as ‘Superman’ and ‘Peacemaker’ rather than in Matt Reeves’ separate Batman films.

Batman talk has been building around the movie itself. Harries has hinted in an interview that Hagen is aware Batman is in Gotham during the events of the film, and Watkins has said the shadow of the Bat is felt inherently in a city called Gotham.

The first wave of reactions has been largely positive, with viewers praising the body horror, the unsettling tone and Harries’ performance. Many noted that the film works on its own and requires no prior DC knowledge, while at least 1 viewer felt its story and some odd choices made it a strange fit for a franchise still finding its identity. Those reactions came mostly from fan-oriented outlets, and the official review embargo lifts on October 21.

The film opens in theaters October 23, and it is the final DC movie of the year before ‘Man of Tomorrow’ next July. Early tracking projects a domestic opening of $23 million to $33 million against a reported $40 million budget. A modest price tag like that makes strong word of mouth especially valuable, and Gunn’s comments suggest the studio is already thinking beyond this single film.

If the movie connects with audiences, Hagen could become one of the DCU’s most important recurring figures, bridging its horror corner and its Batman-focused future. For now, fans will have to wait and see how the studio plans to use him.

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