Clayface trailer leans into the body horror
DC Studios and Warner Bros have released the first full trailer for Clayface, timed to coincide with the start of San Diego Comic-Con, giving audiences a fuller look at the horror-tinged superhero film ahead of its cinema release. The project, part of the DC Universe's "Gods and Monsters" strand, originated as a Mike Flanagan pitch inspired by a 1990s Batman cartoon episode, blending body horror with tragedy; although Flanagan later stepped back due to scheduling conflicts, director James Watkins retained his original story, with Hossein Amini contributing rewrites.
The film tells the origin story of Matt Hagen, a Gotham actor disfigured by a crime boss who undergoes an experimental treatment that restores his looks but gradually destroys his grip on reality, turning him into the shape-shifting villain Clayface. Tom Rhys Harries plays Hagen, with Naomi Ackie as the scientist who administers the treatment and Max Minghella as a police detective; the new trailer shows the procedure initially succeeding before Hagen's body begins gruesomely deteriorating mid-flight. Clayface is scheduled for release in cinemas on 23 October 2026.
In short
- New Clayface trailer debuts ahead of San Diego Comic-Con.
- James Watkins directs, based on Mike Flanagan's original body-horror concept.
- Tom Rhys Harries stars; film opens in cinemas 23 October 2026.
Explained simply
Clayface is a villain from the Batman universe known for his shape-shifting powers and fractured identity. Unlike typical adversaries, he is defined by his inability to maintain a fixed physical form, which reflects deeper themes of lost humanity and disintegration.
This film tells the origin story of Matt Hagen, a Gotham actor whose face is destroyed by a crime boss. He undergoes an experimental medical treatment that initially restores his appearance, but the procedure becomes catastrophic—his body deteriorates and his mind unravels as he transforms into the monstrous Clayface. The film charts this tragic descent using body horror as a central element.
Clayface is part of DC Studios' "Gods and Monsters" slate of horror-influenced superhero films. The story originated from a pitch by horror director Mike Flanagan, who later stepped back due to scheduling conflicts, with director James Watkins now leading the project whilst preserving Flanagan's vision of tragedy blended with visceral body horror.