Clayface (2026)

DC’s next big horror‑thriller, simply titled Clayface, is slated for an October 23, 2026 release, but the studio has deliberately shunned the usual blockbuster fanfare. Instead of a barrage of posters and TV spots, fans have been treated to a handful of cryptic trailers that tease a grotesque, shape‑shifting villain while keeping the bulk of the story under wraps. The real buzz comes from a series of limited‑edition comic variant covers that preview the film’s visual tone. At the helm are director James Watkins and writer Mike Flanagan, who are steering the narrative toward a blend of tragedy and body horror. Early trailer frames hint at Matt Hagen’s slow metamorphosis into a massive, mud‑coated mass, even showcasing a bathtub scene that suggests he’s nearing full control of his powers. Behind the scenes, writers Amini and Boron are reportedly weaving a story that probes both the horror and the lingering humanity of a character long relegated to cameo status. DC is reinforcing the cinematic tease with a clutch of comic tie‑ins. From mid‑October, several titles will feature limited‑edition variant covers by legendary artists, ranging from hyper‑realistic grotesqueries to stylized nightmare landscapes. A special one‑shot,"Clayface: Celebrity Dirt," drops on October 14, curating iconic storylines and acting as a bridge between the comic canon and the upcoming film’s aesthetic. The production roster reads like a horror hall of fame, with James Gunn, Lynn Harris, Matt Reeves, and Peter Safran producing alongside Watkins and Flanagan. By pairing the film with curated comic releases rather than a traditional hype machine, DC aims to craft a multi‑layered experience that pulls collectors from the page to the screen—and back again—promising a fresh, unsettling entry into the DCU.

Even after a handful of trailers, DC has kept the upcoming Clayface film shrouded in secrecy, likely to protect the reveal of Matt Hagen’s final form—a massive, shape‑shifting sludge that fans of the classic Batman villain will recognize. The marketing silence has only heightened anticipation for the body‑horror spectacle the studio promises. This Halloween season, the mystery is getting a visual boost from a series of limited‑edition variant comic covers. Legendary artists like Jim Lee, Brian Bolland, Frank Cho, Björn Barends, and Rafael Albuquerque are putting their spin on Clayface’s grotesque new look across titles such as Batman #14, Batman and Robin: Year One #3, and Detective Comics #1114. Barends’ haunting illustration, in particular, suggests a nightmarish origin that could set the tone for the film’s creature design. DC is also feeding fans with tie‑in comics, including the Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #4 and a special edition one‑shot arriving on October 14 that collects classic stories from the character’s twisted past. While the movie will likely serve as many viewers’ first introduction to the villain, the comics hint at an origin rooted in the Creature Commandos and promise a blend of tragedy and horror. Set for an October 23, 2026 theatrical release, the film is being helmed by director James Watkins, with a writing team that includes Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini. Tom Rhys Harries stars as Matt Hagen/Clayface alongside Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, and Max Minghella, positioning the DCU’s first full‑blown body‑horror entry as a bold, genre‑bending addition to the franchise.

A hand of oozing clay spilling from a rounded container has already made its debut in theaters – the new Clayface popcorn bucket. First spotted on the Home of DCU X account on September 25, the bucket’s unsettling design mirrors the movie’s central transformation, and the post quickly racked up over 68,000 views, proving fans can’t get enough of the macabre merch. The film follows rising actor Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries), whose desperate bid to repair a brutal disfigurement turns him into a living mass of clay. Directed by James Watkins from a screenplay by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, the R‑rated entry leans heavily into body‑horror, drawing inevitable comparisons to the 1986 classic The Fly. James Gunn has positioned it as a horror‑first experience, aiming to attract genre lovers beyond the usual DC crowd. Shot across Liverpool and Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden under the working title “Corinthians,” Clayface sits in DC Studios’ Chapter One: Gods and Monsters slate and is set to hit screens on October 23. With Naomi Ackie as the scientist behind the mutation and Max Minghella as a Gotham detective, the movie promises a grim, transformative nightmare that the new popcorn bucket only begins to hint at.

The latest DCU merch drop is a popcorn bucket that looks like it crawled straight out of the upcoming horror‑thriller. Shaped like a rounded tub with a gnarled, clay‑like hand reaching out, the bucket bears the Clayface logo and promises a delightfully disgusting movie‑night companion. The design isn’t just eye‑candy; it mirrors the film’s premise. Clayface follows Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries), a rising actor whose desperate bid to fix a disfigurement turns him into a living mass of clay, sparking a body‑horror nightmare that’s being likened to Cronenberg’s The Fly. Director James Watkins, working from a Mike Flanagan‑Hossein Amini script, leans fully into the grotesque, delivering an R‑rated experience meant to lure horror fans beyond the usual DC crowd. Filmed in Liverpool and at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden under the working title"Corinthians," the movie is part of DC Studios’ Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. With a supporting cast that includes Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan and David Dencik, the film hits theaters on October 23. Until then, fans can reach into that eerie bucket, feel the severed clay hand, and get a taste of the unsettling world that awaits on screen.