James Gunn and Peter Safran, the co-chiefs of DC Studios, have officially confirmed that the upcoming film *Clayface* will be part of the DCU canon and will carry an R rating. This highly anticipated movie focuses on the iconic Batman villain Clayface, known for his ability to transform his clay-like body into any shape or form. Originally introduced as Basil Karlo in Detective Comics #40 back in 1940, Clayface has a rich history as one of Gotham City's most intriguing and terrifying antagonists.
DC Studios announced that *Clayface* is set to hit theaters on September 11, 2026. The decision to develop this film was influenced by the positive reception of HBO's *The Penguin* series. Horror maestro Mike Flanagan is penning the screenplay, with Lynn Harris and *The Batman* director Matt Reeves on board as producers.
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During a DC Studios presentation attended by IGN, Gunn and Safran emphasized the importance of integrating *Clayface* into the DCU, distinguishing it from Matt Reeves' *The Batman* Epic Crime Saga. "Clayface is totally DCU," Gunn stated firmly. Safran added, "The only thing that's in Matt's world, his Crime Saga that he's telling, is the Batman Trilogy, the Penguin series, that's in that lane. So still under DC Studios, still under us. We have an incredible relationship with Matt, but those are the only things."
Gunn elaborated on why *Clayface* fits better within the DCU, noting, "It was important that Clayface be part of the DCU. It's an origin story for a classic Batman villain that we want to have in our world." He also mentioned that the character's fantastical nature would not mesh well with the more grounded approach of Reeves' saga.
Safran revealed that DC Studios is currently negotiating with *Speak No Evil* director James Watkins to helm *Clayface*, with filming expected to begin this summer. "This summer, cameras are going to roll on Clayface, an incredible body horror film that reveals a compelling origin of a classic Batman villain, and this is another title that we added to the slate on the strength of an exceptional screenplay by Mike Flanagan," Safran explained.
Safran described *Clayface* as an "experimental" film, deviating from the traditional superhero blockbuster mold, and labeled it an "indie style chiller." Gunn echoed this sentiment, describing the film as "pure f\*\*\*ing horror, like, totally real. Their version of that movie, it is so real and true and psychological and body horror and gross."
Confirming the film's mature rating, Gunn stated, "Clayface is, perhaps unsurprisingly, definitely R rated." He further expressed his excitement for the project, saying, "I think that one of the things Peter and I talked about when we first got the script is if we were producing movies five years ago when we were doing Belko Experiment and all of that stuff, and somebody had brought us this horror script called Clayface about this guy, we would have died to have produced this movie, because it was just a really excellent body horror script, and the fact that it's in the DCU is just a plus."
