'Clayface' creepy first look reveals shocking turn for DC Universe

Brendan Morrow, USA TODAYThu, April 23, 2026 at 12:08 PM UTC

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The new DC Universe brought hope and optimism to the big screen last year with "Superman." But thanks to "Clayface," things are getting dark.

DC has revealed a first look at the highly anticipated comic book movie "Clayface." The film stars Tom Rhys Harries as fictional actor Matt Hagen, who makes a shocking transformation into the titular Batman villain.

The footage, revealed on April 22, adopts a dark and scary tone, teasing a body horror film that will be a total departure from anything fans have seen from the DC Universe so far. The footage centers on a sinister shot of a bloodied Matt lying in a hospital bed covered in bandages, and interspersed scenes tease his disturbing descent into a shapeshifting villain.

Before the title card, there is also a creepy look at Matt with no eyes, nose or mouth.

Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen in DC's "Clayface."

"Clayface" is pitched as an intentional tonal pivot for the rebooted DC Universe, which released its first film last year, James Gunn's "Superman," and will continue this summer with "Supergirl," starring Milly Alcock. Unlike those movies, "Clayface" has been described as an R-rated horror film.

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"'Clayface' unravels one man's horrifying descent from rising Hollywood star to revenge-filled monster in a story that explores the loss of one's identity and humanity, corrosive love, and the dark underbelly of scientific ambition," the studio's logline reads.

James Watkins, the filmmaker behind horror movies like "Speak No Evil" and "The Woman in Black," directed "Clayface" from a script cowritten by acclaimed horror writer-director Mike Flanagan, the creator of Netflix's "The Haunting of Hill House" and "Midnight Mass."

As only the third movie in the DC Universe, "Clayface" can be viewed as a statement on the part of DC Studios CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran that their superhero franchise will be willing to explore all kinds of tones and genres, rather than always adhering to the same tone adopted by "Superman." After "Clayface," the next DC Universe film will seemingly be a shift back to more family-friendly fare, with David Corenswet set to return as Superman in the 2027 sequel "Man of Tomorrow."

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Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen in DC's "Clayface."

"Clayface" is also the latest DC film to be a standalone story about a Batman villain after 2019's "Joker" and its 2024 sequel "Joker: Folie à Deux," both of which took place outside the DC Universe continuity.

"Clayface" also stars Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, Nancy Carroll and Joshua James. It will, appropriately, hit theaters in time for Halloween: Oct. 23.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Clayface' trailer teases Tom Rhys Harries in creepy DC horror movie

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