DC Studios has finally released the first trailer for 'Clayface', offering a chilling look at one of Batman's most tragic and terrifying foes.
The horror-thriller stars Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, a struggling actor whose desperate search for redemption transforms him into the shape-shifting villain known as Clayface.
Blending psychological horror with superhero storytelling, the film explores the origins of a character whose pursuit of fame and a second chance slowly descends into obsession, madness and revenge.
A tragic transformation into Gotham's shape-shifting menace
The trailer introduces Matt Hagen as an aspiring actor from Gotham City who dreams of making it big in Hollywood. His life takes a devastating turn after a brutal encounter with a local crime boss leaves his face horribly disfigured, destroying both his career and his future.
Abandoned by those around him, Hagen turns to an experimental scientific treatment that miraculously restores his appearance. However, the procedure comes at a terrifying cost. Instead of simply healing him, it transforms his entire body into living clay while slowly eroding his grip on reality.
As his powers grow, so does his desire for vengeance, setting him on a destructive path that ultimately gives birth to one of Batman's most dangerous enemies.
Set between Robert Pattinson's Batman films
According to reports, Clayface takes place in the same continuity as Matt Reeves' Batman universe. The events of the film are set between The Batman (2022) and the upcoming The Batman Part II (2028), both starring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne.
The movie expands the crime-ridden Gotham first introduced in The Batman and follows the critically acclaimed HBO Max series The Penguin, which further explored the city's criminal underworld.
Although Batman does not appear in the trailer, the story deepens Gotham's mythology by focusing on one of its most iconic villains.
A horror-inspired take on a classic DC villain
Unlike traditional superhero films, Clayface embraces a horror-thriller tone. Director James Watkins presents the character's transformation through psychological terror and body horror, highlighting the emotional and physical consequences of Hagen's desperate choices.
The screenplay is written by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, based on a story by Flanagan. The film features characters from DC Comics.
Clayface's legacy in DC Comics
Clayface is one of Batman's oldest adversaries, first appearing in Detective Comics #40 in 1940. Over the decades, multiple characters have adopted the Clayface identity across DC Comics, each possessing unique shape-shifting abilities.
The villain has also appeared in numerous live-action and animated adaptations, including:
The new film offers a fresh interpretation of the character while staying rooted in his tragic comic-book origins.
Cast and release date
Alongside Tom Rhys Harries, the film features:
Naomi Ackie
David Dencik
Max Minghella
Eddie Marsan
Nancy Carroll
Joshua James
James Watkins directs the film, with Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini penning the screenplay.
Clayface will be released exclusively in theatres, opening October 21 internationally before arriving in North America on October 23.
The film marks another major expansion of DC Studios' grounded Gotham universe, promising a darker and more horror-driven exploration of one of Batman's most enduring villains.
