James Gunn opens up about how the upcoming DC Universe spinoff movie for one of Batman’s biggest villains will fit into the DCU’s Chapter 1: “Gods and Monsters.” A key figure from Batman’s rogues gallery is set to get a live-action DCU debut next year, as a solo Clayface film is currently in the works that will be imagined as a horror installment for DC Studios. Production on the movie is set to start this fall, following the news that Tom Rhys Harries has been cast as Clayface.
In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Gunn addressed more about the Clayface movie and its place in the Chapter 1: “Gods and Monsters” slate, as the film was not initially announced as part of the big event in January 2023 from DC Studios when they revealed their first batch of DCU projects. Throughout the interview, Gunn gave several updates on Clayface, including whether or not this is the exact same Clayface that fans saw in Creature Commandos, as he and Entertainment Weekly had the following chat:
EW: Peter Safran was telling me a little bit about Clayface and how the hope is to start filming at some point this year, ᴀssuming that the script is in this good place.
James Gunn: The new script is great. It’s great. I mean, the first script was great, and then this new draft is even better…. The movie’s definitely getting made.
EW: What goes into a decision to bring Clayface into the DCU versus an Elseworlds тιтle?
James Gunn: Well, I think it was just we needed DCU content. Mike Flanagan is somebody who I’ve been friendly with for a long time, and he wrote me about Clayface. He texted me about it really early on in my DC journey. Just being honest, I did not think that was something that was going to happen, but he came in and he pitched the idea and I was like, “Oh s—! That’s cool.” It’s a body horror movie. It’s a horror movie that, like any cool body horror movie, just happens to be in the DCU. And then he wrote the script, and the script was fantastic. We did not plan to do Clayface. That was really something he brought to us.
EW: Because this is DCU, is this the same Clayface that we met in Creature Commandos?
James Gunn: I think that everyone will find that out.
What James Gunn’s Comments Mean For The DCU Clayface Movie
Even if the Clayface movie wasn’t a project that was initially envisioned as part of Chapter 1: “Gods and Monsters,” Gunn’s comments make it clear that if a filmmaker comes with a pitch that is well executed, it can always get a green light. It’s also crucial to remember that during the original announcement from January 2023, Gunn and his DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran stressed that the initial movies and TV shows they were announcing for Chapter 1 were not the entire slate. To this point, there are bound to be more projects added to this leg of the franchise before Chapter 2 begins.
In terms of which iteration of the Batman villain they are using for the Clayface movie, following Gunn’s teasing, it’s worth taking into account that in the DC lore, there have been multiple versions of Clayface. The one who appeared in Creature Commandos season 1 was never even named, meaning that the live-action film could use any of the Clayfaces from the comics without conflicting with what was shown in the animated series. Once Clayface starts filming, it will likely become very clear which one they are using in the DCU installment.
Our Take On James Gunn’s DCU Clayface Comments
From everything that Gunn has shared about Clayface, the movie has the potential to become not just a standout for the DCU, but also hopefully lead to more horror stories in the comic book movie genre, as there have been very few of those over the years. If it’s true that Clayface is focusing on a B-movie actor becoming the famous DC foe after injecting himself with a mysterious substance because he is attempting to stay relevant in Hollywood, that would make for an incredibly unique comic book film. Hopefully, as filming gets closer to starting on Clayface, more details will emerge sooner rather than later.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
