Liverpool has turned into Gotham City once again. Cameras officially started rolling on the Clayface movie on August 31, 2025, with Derby Square redressed as Gotham Hospital and North John Street reimagined as the city’s docks. The production, shooting under the working title Corinthians, is also using Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden for interior scenes. With James Watkins directing from a script by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, the film promises a darker, horror-leaning addition to the DC Universe. The cast and creative team have assembled to bring one of Batman’s most tragic and terrifying villains into the cinematic spotlight.
Why Clayface Matters
Clayface has long been one of Batman’s strangest foes — a shapeshifter whose body dissolves into a mass of living clay. Past adaptations often treated him as a monster of the week, but this film elevates him to leading-man territory. Slated as part of DC Studios’ Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, Clayface signals how James Gunn and Peter Safran are pushing the DCU into unexpected genre territory. Instead of another cape-and-cowl slugfest, audiences can expect a film steeped in psychological dread, practical effects, and body horror nods reminiscent of David Cronenberg’s The Fly.
The choice of Liverpool as Gotham grounds the film in an atmospheric, real-world city while leveraging the UK’s production infrastructure. With Matt Reeves involved as a producer, alongside Gunn, Safran, and Lynn Harris, Clayface also serves as connective tissue between Reeves’ Gotham sensibilities and the emerging shared DCU slate. It’s a bet that horror-inflected storytelling can expand superhero cinema’s palette.
Who’s starring in the Clayface movie?
Tom Rhys Harries takes on the lead role of Matt Hagen, the doomed actor who becomes Clayface. Naomi Ackie co-stars as a scientist whose research pushes Hagen’s fate down a monstrous path. Early reports hint at a morally ambiguous dynamic between them, leaning into themes of obsession and transformation. Additional supporting roles remain under wraps, but the cast list is expected to grow as production continues.
When and where is it filming?
Principal photography began on August 31, 2025, in Liverpool, England. Derby Square has been transformed into Gotham Hospital, while parts of North John Street now stand in for Gotham Docks. Interior work is underway at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden. The film is operating under the codename Corinthians, a common tactic to maintain secrecy during production.
Who’s behind the camera?
Director James Watkins (The Woman in Black) leads the project, working from a screenplay co-written by Mike Flanagan (Doctor Sleep, Midnight Mass) and Hossein Amini (Drive). This creative trio brings an unusual blend of gothic horror, supernatural drama, and psychological thriller to the superhero space. Producers include DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran, Matt Reeves, and Lynn Harris.
How does it fit into the DCU?
Clayface is part of Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, the first wave of films in Gunn and Safran’s interconnected DCU. While Batman himself is not confirmed to appear, Clayface’s presence introduces a villain who could challenge multiple heroes across projects. The film is currently dated for release on September 11, 2026, giving it a clear runway as one of the DCU’s horror-leaning tentpoles.
What tone should fans expect?
The creative team has openly teased influences from The Fly and classic body horror cinema. Early concept descriptions suggest a tragic character study laced with gruesome transformations and unsettling practical effects. With Gunn’s blessing, Clayface will lean into an R rating, aiming to deliver a visceral experience that distinguishes it from other superhero offerings.
Flix FAQs
Q: When is Clayface releasing?
A: Clayface is scheduled for theatrical release Q3 2026.
Q: Will Batman appear in the movie?
A: Batman has not been confirmed for this film. The story focuses on Matt Hagen’s transformation into Clayface.
Q: Is Clayface connected to Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe?
A: No — even though Reeves is a producer, the film is part of James Gunn’s mainline DCU, not the Elseworlds continuity.
Q: What rating will Clayface have?
A: The official rating hasn’t been announced, but industry chatter suggests an R rating to explore the film’s body-horror themes.
The Bigger Picture
The start of filming on Clayface underscores DC Studios’ appetite for bold, genre-bending storytelling. Transforming a once-obscure animated villain into a potential R-rated, body horror lead extends the creative palette of superhero cinema. Meanwhile, Superman (2025) has already lifted the DCU back into mainstream territory—earning over $610 million globally and surprising analysts with its strong opening weekend. This dynamic pairing reveals a deliberate balance: Clayface leans into the strange and unsettling, while Superman reinvigorates optimism and blockbuster confidence. Together, they hint at a resurgent DCU that isn’t afraid to surprise. Filming is underway, and Clayface is officially en route to theaters in 2026.
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