DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn shares new updates on the upcoming Clayface movie in the DC Universe franchise. While the Batman mythology will play a huge part in the DCU timeline, one of the villains who fans will get to see on the big screen before the Caped Crusader is Clayface. The DCU installment will be one of the handful of horror films to enter the comic book movie genre, with James Watkins set to direct the movie, and its script written by Mike Flanagan.

On the latest episode of the DC Studios Showcase Podcast, Gunn opened up more about the new Clayface film, which became a later addition to the DCU’s Chapter 1: “Gods and Monsters” slate. While Clayface may not have been a film discussed during the original January 2023 announcement that revealed what DCU films and shows were initially in the works, Gunn stressed that the pitch from Flanagan was so impressive that it earned a spot in the release schedule, while also reaffirming that the horror film will be R-rated:

Clayface was not something that we intended. We didn’t come into this job like with Woman of Tomorrow or Lanterns. Woman of Tomorrow and Lanterns are both things we talked about when we had our initial writers room. We knew those things were coming. Clayface was not on our checklist. But Mike came in with a pitch for Clayface that was like, ‘Whoa, that is so cool.’ And then he wrote the screenplay and fulfilled doubly on that promise. The thing about Clayface that’s so cool is Peter and I were like, back when we were like producing […] horror movies and The Belko Experiment, all these things. I’m like, if we had gotten the script as a horror movie, not being a part of the DCU at all, it’s like this amazing body horror film that we would jump at the chance of making. So it really is about– Like, it’s just a great horror movie that is a great, smart, fun, fun horror movie in a genre that I happen to love, which is body horror. It’s rated R … it’s not anything now because the MPA has to watch it, but it’s most likely rated R. It’s pretty intense.

What James Gunn’s DCU Comments Mean For The Clayface Movie

One of the main drives for DC Studios since its formation is that while many projects can certainly be pitched, no TV show or film will go forward unless there is a solidified script with a clear vision. Other projects may have been announced before Clayface joined Chapter 1: “Gods and Monsters” but many of them have not finished their development process. It’s clear from Gunn’s comments that the Clayface pitch for the Batman foe was worked out to the point where DC Studios felt confident about giving it a green light.

It’s also not a shock that the intention is to make the DC movie an R-rated release. If the reported premise of Clayface focusing on a B-list movie actor trying to stay relevant in Hollywood by injecting himself with a substance that turns him into the iconic DC villain is true, that alone justifies the plot not only being rooted in body horror, but also beng R-rated. Hollywood has previously found success with R-rated films in the superhero and comic book film genre, with 2024’s ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine being a huge recent example of that.

Our Take On James Gunn’s Clayface Comments

Based on everything Gunn has revealed about how Clayface became a priority at DC Studios, it will be exciting to see how the DCU tackles having a villain-focused film this early in the franchise’s run. What remains to be seen now, however, is what other characters will join the Clayface movie, given that casting is most likely underway for the supporting players. With filming being eyed for fall later this year, more updates on Clayface are bound to arrive over the next few months.

Source: DC Studios Showcase Podcast/YouTube