# ‘Clayface’ Hits Comic-Con: Director James Watkins Says DC’s R-Rated Horror Take Of Batman Villain Will Have “Ick And A Lot Of Gore” – Q&A

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/clayface-hits-comic-con-director-james-watkins-says-dcs-r-rated-horror-take-of-batman-villain-will-have-ick-and-a-lot-of-gore-qa/
- Published: 2026-07-23T16:15:43+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-23T23:06:40+00:00
- Original publisher: Deadline
- Original article: https://deadline.com/2026/07/clayface-james-watkins-interview-comic-con-1237000908/
- Topics: Film

## Key points

- Clayface will be an R-rated DC body-horror film.
- It explores fame, identity and transformation.
- DC reportedly made it for $40 million.

## Summary

DC Studios’ forthcoming Clayface film will present the Batman villain as an R-rated body-horror story, according to director James Watkins at San Diego Comic-Con. Based on Mike Flanagan’s screenplay, it follows actor Matt Hagen after an experimental facial-restoration drug transforms his life, using the character to explore identity, celebrity culture and the consequences of a single decision.

Watkins said the film will include “ick and a lot of gore”, while DC co-head Peter Safran described it as the studio’s first horror film within its shared universe. Tom Rhys Harries plays Hagen, with the story drawing on the animated-series version in which the actor is manipulated after receiving a chemical treatment; the reported budget is $40 million, reflecting DC’s aim to make lower-cost genre films alongside major superhero releases.

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