Clayfaceis coming to theDC Universein 2026, before the release ofBatman: The Brave and The Bold, therebyteasing a possible first look at the newest Caped Crusader in the film.Everything known aboutClayfacesuggest that it will be a self-contained story, although it has also been confirmed that it will take place in the DCU. This means that the Clayfaceintroduced to the DCU inCreature Commandosmay be the same character from this film, suggesting a number of possible interesting points of connection.
In addition to getting his own film in the DCU,Clayface is rumored to appear inThe Batman Part II, which could be confusing. The two stories are set in separate universes, andit may be difficult for audiences to separate two different iterations of the same villain, especially villains less known to the general public, like Clayface.Instead, it seems likely that only one Clayface will appear in his self-titled film, with that spinoff setting up the DCU’s Batman.
DC’s Clayface Movie Would Be A Perfect Film Debut For DCU’s Batman
The World Of Batman Is Being Set Up Before He Gets His Own Movie
Batman recently made his first DCU appearanceinCreature Commandos, establishing that the character already exists in the universe.The filmmakers are clearly willing to use Batman in their stories, even if his own film is still a ways away.Following a brief cameo in animation, it would make sense to introduce the DCU’s new Batman in a more concrete way inClayface.Batman is a necessary texture to Gotham City, and his specter should hang over any villain stories told there.
Batman does not need to have a large role in theClayfacemovie, but the character’s presence should be felt. This could be done in countless ways:Clayface could fight Batman, or could only be familiar with him.The Bat signal could be seen, or discussions of Batman could occur among other criminals. Regardless,Clayfaceis the perfect place to debut the character of Batman in live-action before making him a more essential part of the universe inThe Brave and the Bold.
DCU’s Previous Show Plans Mirrored The Clayface Movie’s Potential
Matt Reeves' canceledArkhamserieswas set to explore villains from the world of Batman in the DCU. This was a strange reveal, as Reeves’The Batmanwas set in a different universe, but it was welcome.Seeing Reeves explore a world of Batman villains separate from The Dark Knight himself was an exciting prospect, especially as Batman has some of the rogues of any hero in comics, and having this set in the fantastic DCU was promising. While the show has since been canceled, it seems thatClayfaceis set to cover some of that same ground.
Building films around Batman’s villains could go well, but the studio will need to be careful.Sony’s Spider-Man Universe went wrongin a number of ways, but the biggest criticism it faced was for using Spider-Man villains without ever featuring Spider-Man. Following this,it is imperative that DC allow Batman to be a part of the world of his villains.Seeing these villains explored before appearing in a Batman movie is a great possibility, but it all must lead somewhere, and Batman still needs to be involved.
Casting Clayface For A Live-Action Movie (The Batman 2 or DC Universe)
Clayface could appear as a major villain in Batman: The Brave and the Bold or The Batman - Part II, with a wealth of options for possible performers.
Clayface is one of the best Batman villains that have not yet made the jump to live-action, andthe prospect of Mike Flanagan writing a story about him is incredibly promising.The film being set in the DCU speaks to a diversity of tones and feels in the universe in an extremely promising way. However, it feels almost necessary that Batman appears inClayfaceto avoid facing the criticisms many other superhero projects have. Hopefully, the studio has a good plan for this and beyond.
Clayface
Cast
Clayface is a feature film centered around the shapeshifting Batman villain. The movie, described as a horror, thriller, and tragedy, explores the darker dimensions of this iconic character within the DC Universe.
