Photo Credit: DC DC Studios and director James Watkins left fans gripping their screens after the Clayface teaser trailer delivered something the DCU has never attempted before. The footage sparked an overwhelming wave of reactions from viewers who could not believe what a Batman villain’s solo project could look like in the horror genre. DCU fans are loving the scary Clayface trailer DC Studios released the teaser trailer for Clayface on April 22, introducing the first live-action take on the Batman villain.
The body horror film stars Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, a struggling actor disfigured in an attack, who turns to a scientist played by Naomi Ackie—only to be transformed into shape-shifting clay. Director James Watkins helms the project from a script by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini. DC Studios co-chief James Gunn previously told reporters the studio “had no plans [to make] a Clayface movie,” but Flanagan “turned in a script and it’s one of the best scripts that we’ve read” (via The Hollywood Reporter).
The film carries an expected R rating and exists within the DC Universe canon. Users on X praised the trailer’s dark tone and body horror imagery immediately after its release. One user wrote, “Clayface looks absolutely incredible.
A truly scary spin on one of Batman’s coolest villains.” Clayface looks absolutely incredible. A truly scary spin on one of Batman's coolest villains. Absolutely love how the transformation of his skin looks so frightening and painful.
This is precisely what I wanted from this new DC universe. pic.twitter.com/vrmOpEWkb6— The Sietch of Sci-Fi | (@TSoS_) April 22, 2026 CLAYFACE is serious serious. There’s not enough words in the dictionary to describe how seated I am. https://t.co/cITcrM3sDy pic.twitter.com/UZtQD546fp— Craig (@CS11__) April 22, 2026 The absolute aura that the Batman villain spin offs have is enough to warrant their existence not gonna lie. I'd take a million more of these if they look this cool lol #ClayfaceMovie pic.twitter.com/hhqchPtiA7— Superhero Enjoyer (@Supe_Enjoyer) April 22, 2026 Another user called it a “beautifully dark twisted trailer with a creepy ass horror remix” of The Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realize??” Several users drew comparisons to films like Darkman, The Substance and The Fly.
The Clayface trailer will get a lot of comparisons to The Substance, The Fly, some Phantom of the Opera imagery but most importantly Raimi’s Darkman Beautifully dark twisted trailer with a creepy ass horror remix of “DO YOU REALIZE?” By the flaming lips pic.twitter.com/Ii28YgMV2b— Sammy J Jonah Jameson (@SammyJReacts) April 22, 2026 The #ClayfaceMovie teaser RIPS. Never in a million years would I have ever thought I’d be excited – let alone the least bit intrigued – to see a movie about a character named Clayface. So yeah, job well done, guys.
Let’s fucking go see some body horror! https://t.co/LVJT4OlZfM— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) April 22, 2026 DC Studios co-chief Peter Safran stated that while “Clayface might not be as widely known as The Penguin or The Joker,” the studio feels “his story is equally resonant, compelling, and in many ways, more terrifying.” Gunn added the film will feel “totally real” and described it as “true and psychological and body horror and gross.” The Batman filmmaker Matt Reeves serves as a producer on the project. Meanwhile, Clayface hits theaters on October 23, 2026, after Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow on June 26.
Together, they form the second wave of DC Studios releases under James Gunn and Peter Safran, following Superman. Originally reported by Vritti Johar on SuperHeroHype.