Clayface teaser out: Tom Rhys Harries to star as shape shifting villian in this DC universe
Washington DC, April 23
The teaser of 'Clayface' has been released to offer a glimpse into the origins of the shape-shifting villain in the DC universe.
The horror film is directed by James Watkins and will star Tom Rhys Harries in the lead role. Clayface, who starts as struggling actor Matt Hagen, receives a highly experimental medical procedure after his face is disfigured in a knife attack.
Although the experiment is successful at first, things ultimately don't go as planned, as the actor's body turns into clay that reshapes itself into anyone's appearance.
The trailer opens with Matt in a hospital bed with a bloody, bandaged face. After being attacked by a knife-wielding assailant, he's injected with mysterious chemicals, which grant him his shapeshifting powers.
In the teaser, Matt's face morphed in rapid succession, showing him without a mouth or eyes at some points. In the trailer's final moments, the actor completely wiped away his face while in a bathtub. The teaser also shows Clayface's shadow as he morphs his hand into a giant, mace-shaped fist.
DC Studios shared the teaser on their Instagram handle on Thursday. The movie is set to hit theatres on October 23.
According to Variety, Clayface is one of the earliest Batman antagonists, first introduced in 1940 as a washed-up actor turned criminal who wears a clay-like mask of a character he once played. In 1961, Clayface's shape-shifting abilities were established.
This is the character's big-screen introduction after being portrayed in several live-action and animated 'Batman' adaptations, including by Ron Perlman on 'Batman: The Animated Series' in the 1990s, Brian McManamon on the 2010s Fox series 'Gotham' and most recently by Alan Tudyk on the HBO Max animated comedy 'Harley Quinn.'
Harries' other acting credits include 'White Lines,' 'The Gentlemen,' Uberto Pasolini's 'The Return' and 'Suspicion.'
Naomi Ackie will also star in the movie.
James Gunn launched his DC Universe with last year's 'Superman.' The studio has 'Supergirl,' directed by Craig Gillespie, coming on June 26.
Other upcoming DC titles include the 'Superman' sequel 'Man of Tomorrow,' set for July 9, 2027, and Matt Reeves' 'The Batman: Part II,' coming October 1, 2027.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As someone who grew up watching Batman: The Animated Series, Ron Perlman's Clayface voice is iconic. The shape-shifting powers always seemed terrifying—perfect for a horror film. Let's see if Tom Rhys Harries can do justice to this character! 🇮🇳🎬
DC is trying too hard to play catch-up with Marvel. The teaser looks decent but why not focus on getting Superman and Batman right first before diving into C-list villains? Kal-El deserves better than what we got last year. 😤
Honestly, I'm excited to see a character with real psychological depth. The struggle of an actor losing their identity and becoming a literal monster—there's some powerful storytelling potential here. Glad they're not just making it another CGI-fest. 👍
Okay but does anyone else feel like the body horror angle could be really disturbing as a horror movie? The bathtub scene where he wipes his face away gave me chills 🥶... Just hope they don't shy away from the terrifying aspects of the character.
Finally a DC movie that doesn't need a whole universe setup! Clayface works best as a standalone horror flick. I'm all in for James Watkins directing—his track record with horror is solid. October 23 can't come soon enough! 🔥
K