December 13, 2024: DC Studios has officially greenlit a feature film centered around Clayface, the iconic shapeshifting villain from the Batman universe, according to a report from Variety. This marks a significant step in DC's effort to expand its universe with unique and unconventional stories.
The movie will be written by Mike Flanagan, best known for his work on "Ouija: Origin of Evil" and his acclaimed horror series "The Haunting of Hill House". Flanagan, who has expressed his interest in making a Clayface film in the past, pitched the idea to DC Studios in 2023. He even tweeted in 2021 that he was excited to create a Clayface standalone film in the genre of horror, thriller, and tragedy.
Flanagan is currently busy with his directorial duties for "The Exorcist" at Universal, in collaboration with Blumhouse and Morgan Creek, and he is also developing a series adaptation of Stephen King's "Carrie" for Amazon MGM Studios. Despite his packed schedule, DC Studios has decided to move forward with the Clayface project and is currently on the lookout for a director to bring Flanagan's script to life.
Clayface is one of Batman’s oldest and most intriguing villains, first introduced in 1940 as Basil Karlo, a washed-up actor who turns to crime while donning a clay-like mask of a character he once played. Over the years, his character has undergone multiple iterations, with the most notable being the shapeshifting version introduced in 1961. This ability to assume anyone's form has made him a formidable and tragic adversary for the Dark Knight.
Clayface has appeared in several Batman adaptations, both in live-action and animated forms. He was voiced by Ron Perlman in the 1990s animated series Batman: The Animated Series, portrayed by Brian McManamon in Gotham, and more recently voiced by Alan Tudyk in the animated series Harley Quinn on Max.
The film will be produced by Matt Reeves and Lynn Harris through their company, 6th & Idaho Productions, which is behind the successful The Batman franchise. The involvement of Matt Reeves signals that this film could have a darker, more mature tone, similar to the gritty realism seen in The Batman (2022).
The Clayface film is part of DC Studios' broader strategy to build a diverse and expansive universe under the leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran. With Gunn emphasizing that DC can explore a wide range of genres—from family-friendly fare like Superman to darker, more violent stories like Creature Commandos—Clayface seems to be a fitting choice for this exploration.
DC Studios has yet to officially announce the release date for the Clayface film, but it is expected that production will begin in 2024, with the possibility of a release sometime in 2025 or beyond. Fans of both Batman and Flanagan's work are eagerly anticipating this unique take on one of Gotham’s most tragic villains.
With Mike Flanagan writing and Matt Reeves producing, Clayface is poised to be one of the most compelling and unique films in the new DC Studios lineup. The film's horror-thriller approach, combined with the character's complex backstory, offers the potential for a fresh take on the Batman mythos that could captivate both comic book fans and general moviegoers alike.
