Clayface Reimagines One of Batman’s Most Tragic Villains as a Psychological Body Horror Film
DC Studios is taking one of Gotham City’s most iconic villains in a terrifying new direction with Clayface, a psychological horror thriller that explores the tragic origins of Matt Hagen, the shape-shifting villain from Batman’s legendary rogues gallery.
Directed by James Watkins, the film stars Tom Rhys Harries in the title role alongside Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, Nancy Carroll, and Joshua James.
Written by acclaimed filmmaker Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, with a story by Flanagan, Clayface promises to blend psychological terror, body horror, and emotional tragedy into one of DC’s darkest films to date.
Clayface
- Director: James Watkins
- Starring: Tom Rhys Harries, Naomi Ackie, Eddie Marsan, Max Minghella, David Dencik, Francesca Corney, Ruby Sear, Wil Coban
- Genre: Horror, Thriller, Science Fiction
Plot Synopsis
Before he became one of Gotham City’s most feared villains, Matt Hagen was a young man determined to escape his difficult upbringing.
Rising from the streets of Gotham to become one of Hollywood’s brightest stars, Matt appears to have achieved everything he ever dreamed of. But his remarkable success is destroyed after a brutal encounter with a local crime boss leaves him horrifically disfigured.
Abandoned by the people he trusted and stripped of his career, Matt turns to an experimental medical treatment that promises to restore his appearance. The procedure succeeds beyond anyone’s expectations, miraculously returning him to his former self.
The cure, however, comes with a devastating cost.
As the treatment begins to alter both his body and mind, Matt loses his grip on reality. Consumed by paranoia, rage, and an overwhelming desire for revenge, he transforms into Clayface, a monstrous figure whose ability to reshape himself becomes both a terrifying power and a symbol of his psychological collapse.
Clayface Cast
- Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen / Clayface
- Naomi Ackie as Caitlyn Corr
- David Dencik
- Max Minghella as John
- Eddie Marsan
- Nancy Carroll
- Joshua James as Corey Bowery
Some supporting characters details have not yet been officially announced.
Creative Team
Director
- James Watkins
Screenplay
- Mike Flanagan
- Hossein Amini
Story
- Mike Flanagan
Producers
- Matt Reeves
- Lynn Harris
- James Gunn
- Peter Safran
Executive Producers
- Michael E. Uslan
- Chantal Nong Vo
- Lars P. Winther
- Rafi Crohn
- Paul Ritchie
Director of Photography
- Rob Hardy
Production Designer
- James Price
Editor
- Jon Harris
Costume Designer
- Keith Madden
Music
- Volker Bertelmann
A Dark New Direction for DC Studios
Unlike traditional superhero blockbusters, Clayface embraces psychological horror and tragic character drama, focusing on the emotional and physical transformation of one of Batman’s most complex enemies. The film’s blend of body horror, revenge thriller, and psychological suspense marks a bold new direction for DC Studios, offering a grounded and unsettling origin story rather than a conventional comic book adventure.
With James Watkins at the helm and a screenplay from Mike Flanagan—whose work on The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep, and The Fall of the House of Usher has earned widespread acclaim—Clayface is poised to deliver a fresh take on the DC Universe that should appeal to both horror fans and comic book enthusiasts.
