One subtle background detail from the Clayface set raises questions about the DCU’s Joker. As the DCU expands following Creature Commandos, Superman, and Peacemaker season 2, James Gunn’s franchise gradually approaches the debut of iconic DC figures like Batman, Robin, and the Joker. Since Batman made two cameos in Creature Commandos, the wait to see him appear in live-action may be shorter than it may have seemed at first.

Clayface, who also made his DCU debut in Creature Commandos, is set to be the first Gotham character to star in his own solo DCU project. James Watknis’ Clayface movie promises to take a similar character-first approach as Todd Phillips’ Joker and Lauren LeFranc’s The Penguin, with a serious take on Clayface’s tragic origins. Still, several easter eggs and references to the wider DCU are to be expected.

The Latest Set PH๏τos For A 2026 DCU Movie Have Raised A Mystery Around The Joker

One full year ahead of its September 11, 2026 release, filming for James Watkins’ Clayface is currently underway. Set footage has captured Tom Rhys Harries’ тιтular anti-hero sporting an injured look, possibly in a scene that takes place immediately after the incident that transforms him into Clayface. Set pH๏τos have also revealed details about the DCU’s Gotham City, including GCPD patrols and graffiti.

While partially obscured, one of the graffiti spotted on the Clayface set reads “The Jokers”. Clayface‘s “The Jokers“ graffiti may mark the first mention of Batman’s archnemesis in the DCU, and the fact that it’s written in plural may suggest something deeper about the Clown Prince of Crime. No details about the Joker or his followers have been revealed yet, however.

Set details serve to enrich a project’s atmosphere, but they aren’t always included in the final cut. For instance, Superman and Wonder Woman cosplayers were spotted on The Batman‘s set, but they’re barely distinguishable far away in the background in the actual movie. Sony’s Morbius famously included graffiti of Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man with the word “murderer” written across, but this scene never appeared in the movie.

Clayface‘s “The Jokers” graffiti may or may not appear in the film. However, DC Studios may already have plans in mind for the Joker in this universe. Like Todd Phillips’ Joker duology, the DCU could explore the idea of multiple Jokers, all inspired by an original criminal who came up with the clown iconography.

Clayface’s Graffiti Could Link To A Major DC Comic Story

DC Comics’ Three Jokers was a 2020 miniseries by Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok. The story revealed that three different men had operated as Joker over the decades, each embodying a different era of the Clown Prince of Crime: the “Criminal,” the “Clown,” and the “Comedian.” Together, they represented Joker’s evolution across history, explaining how he has become basically unstoppable.

Adapting Three Jokers in the DCU could help solve one of Joker’s greatest challenges: oversaturation. From Jack Nicholson to Heath Ledger, Mark Hamill, Jared Leto, Joaquin Phoenix, and Barry Keoghan, audiences have seen almost every possible take on the Joker. DC Studios could explore all of the Joker’s layers from an entirely original angle and within a single portrayal.

As Andy Muschietti’s The Brave and the Bold introduces a veteran Batman, the DCU has the perfect setup to reveal that he has already faced multiple Jokers in his long career. Instead of choosing just one interpretation, the DCU could establish Joker as a multifaceted legend in Gotham’s history. Each different Joker would reflect a different era of Batman’s crusade.

Ben Affleck’s Batman is the only live-action Dark Knight to have a long history with the Joker, yet they only had one on-screen interaction. The DCU’s Batman may have a long history with all three Jokers, and each of them could appear as a threat to different heroes and teams. Accordingly, each Joker could carry a different tone: gritty, fantastical, and comedic, for example.

The DCU’s Clayface Graffiti May Instead Have A Different Meaning

One possible explanation for Clayface’s “The Jokers” graffiti is that it refers not to multiple versions of the Clown Prince of Crime, but to unrelated criminals. Gotham has always been a city where criminals rally behind theatrical motifs. Matt Reeves’ The Batman already did something similar with the “Train Gang,” a group of clown-painted thugs without clear ties to Barry Keoghan’s Joker himself.

Another possibility is that “The Jokers” could exist before the Dark Knight’s archnemesis takes the stage in the DCU. Since the DCU’s upcoming Clayface movie is an origin story, a pre-existing gang of clown-themed criminals may precede the Joker’s arrival. In this scenario, the gang could indirectly inspire the eventual Joker to fully embrace his clown motif.

Otherwise, the “The Jokers” graffiti could signal Joker’s inner circle rather than an entire gang. “The Jokers” might be shorthand for Joker and his close allies, which could potentially include Harley Quinn or her darker successor, Punchline. Given that the DCEU already explored Harley and Joker’s chaotic relationship, the DCU could lean toward introducing Punchline, who’s even more obsessed with him.