DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran has officially settled fan speculation surrounding where the upcoming Clayface live-action movie sits in the overarching DC Universe timeline. In an exclusive cover story interview with Entertainment Weekly, Safran confirmed that the James Watkins-directed, R-rated body-horror film serves as a direct prequel, taking place well before the events of James Gunn’s animated series Creature Commandos.
He said:
Yes, it is the same Clayface. It leans into horror and psychological thriller in a way that definitely differentiates it from more traditional superhero entries.
Safran clarified that despite the vast difference in medium and tone, star Tom Rhys Harries is playing the exact same character version of Matt Hagen featured in the wider DCU continuity, bridging the villain’s tragic origin story before his monster-squad days.
DCU’s Clayface is a Tragic Origin Rooted in Body Horror
DCU’s Clayface / Credits: Warner Bros.
Conceived from an original story draft by horror auteur Mike Flanagan, Clayface follows Matt Hagen, an up-and-coming actor whose face is brutally disfigured by a gangster. In a desperate attempt to salvage his career and appearance, Hagen turns to a fringe scientist (played by Naomi Ackie), undergoing a terrifying experiment that turns his entire cellular structure into malleable clay.
Safran likened the standalone thriller to classic David Cronenberg films like The Fly, leaning heavily into psychological horror rather than traditional superhero tropes.
By establishing Clayface as an origin prequel, DC Studios clarifies how the main DCU will operate moving forward. While Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight remains locked within Matt Reeves’ self-contained Gotham Crime Saga, Tom Rhys Harries’ Matt Hagen is firmly anchored in the main DCU.
By anchoring Clayface as an R-rated origin story within the main DCU canon while keeping it separate from Robert Pattinson’s The Batman universe, DC Studios is delivering a clear roadmap for its interconnected universe. Leaning into pure body horror gives the tragic villain a distinct platform to shine before his broader timeline crossover.
Are you excited to see an R-rated body horror movie in the main DCU? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Clayface is scheduled to hit theaters nationwide on October 23, 2026.
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