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‘Clayface’ First Reactions Land: DC’s Body Horror Nightmare May Be Its Boldest Move Yet

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DC Studios has made some strange bets in its new era, but few have felt as risky as turning a classic Batman villain into a full-blown horror movie. That’s exactly what ‘Clayface‘ is, and until now, audiences have only had trailers to go on. With the release date approaching, the first wave of reactions has finally started to trickle out.

The film is the third entry in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe, directed by James Watkins from a script by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini. Tom Rhys Harries stars as Matt Hagen, a rising Hollywood actor whose life is shattered when a crime boss leaves him horribly disfigured. Desperate to fix his face, he turns to an experimental treatment that sends him toward a monstrous transformation and revenge.

Now the first impressions are in. Early viewers have begun sharing enthusiastic reactions after seeing the movie, and one social media insider who saw it described it as very good and funnier than expected. They also called it extremely gory and said it fully embraces its R rating.

The comparisons have been the most interesting part. Early viewers have likened ‘Clayface’ to a mix of ‘Joker,’ ‘Vanilla Sky,’ ‘The Substance’ and 2008’s ‘The Incredible Hulk.’ Others have compared its potential success to the horror hit ‘Obsession.’

Those references point to a story that blends body horror with emotional drama and a tragic character study. That matches how the studio has pitched it, as a true horror film that happens to live in the DC Universe. Reports from earlier test screenings also suggested that audiences loved the film.

One of the biggest takeaways is how self-contained the movie appears to be. Reports claim Batman doesn’t appear and isn’t even mentioned, and there are no cameos, surprises or post-credits scenes. That keeps the focus entirely on Matt Hagen’s personal descent.

Aaron Paul is reportedly part of the cast in a brief role, alongside Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan and David Dencik. The film’s runtime is reported at roughly 1 hour and 50 minutes. For a studio that has leaned on huge crossover events, a lean standalone story is a refreshing change.

Not every reaction has been glowing. Some viewers raised concerns that the film may not feature many full-body transformations for its title character, despite being a body horror movie. Reports suggest fans shouldn’t expect the giant, shapeshifting creature often seen in comics and animation.

Still, the footage that has been released leans hard into the discomfort. A recent clip shows Matt panicking as his face begins to transform mid-flight, with insiders describing a disturbing scene involving a pair of scissors during turbulence. That suggests the film may focus on more intimate, unsettling changes tied to Hagen’s emotions.

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The studio has been careful about how much it reveals. One report noted that Warner Bros. held back both first reactions and reviews until the last minute, which isn’t usually a good sign. Official critic reactions still haven’t arrived, so the early buzz should be taken with caution.

Gunn has been vocal in defending the project, responding to a fan who snarked about who asked for a ‘Clayface’ movie by arguing that Hollywood shouldn’t only make films based on familiar IP. Harries, who plays the lead, has also spoken about the pressure, telling Interview Magazine that “fear is a mark of caring about something” when it comes to the work.

The box office picture looks encouraging. Early tracking from Boxoffice Pro projected a $23 million to $33 million domestic opening against a reported $40 million budget, and the film arrives amid a wave of horror hits that includes ‘Obsession,’ ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Resident Evil.’ It opens internationally on October 21 and in North America on October 23.

If the reactions hold and critics agree, ‘Clayface’ could prove that DC’s most unusual swing is also one of its smartest.

Are You Excited for DC’s ‘Clayface’ Horror Movie?

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