James Gunn on Why Clayface Movie Fits DCU, Not Reeves' Batman Saga

James Gunn and Peter Safran, the co-chiefs of DCU, have officially confirmed that the upcoming movie Clayface will be a part of the DCU canon and will carry an R rating. Clayface, known as Basil Karlo, is a classic Batman villain who first appeared in Detective Comics #40 (1940). With the power to transform his clay-like body into anyone or anything, he has been a formidable foe in Gotham City.

DC Studios announced last month that Clayface is set to hit theaters on September 11, 2026. The decision to feature Clayface as a standalone film was influenced by the success of HBO's The Penguin series. The film will be written by horror maestro Mike Flanagan, with Lynn Harris and The Batman director Matt Reeves producing.

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During a DC Studios presentation, Gunn and Safran emphasized the importance of including Clayface in the DCU rather than Matt Reeves' The Batman Epic Crime Saga. Gunn stated, “Clayface is totally DCU,” while Safran clarified that only the Batman Trilogy and the Penguin series are part of Reeves' separate narrative within the DCU framework. Gunn added that Clayface's story wouldn't fit the more grounded approach of Reeves' saga, saying, “It was very outside of the grounded non-super metahuman characters in Matt's world.”

DC Studios is currently negotiating with James Watkins, director of Speak No Evil, to helm Clayface. With filming slated to start this summer, Safran described the movie as an "incredible body horror film" that delves into the origin of the classic villain. He praised the screenplay by Mike Flanagan, calling it "exceptional" and noted that Clayface, though not as widely recognized as The Penguin or The Joker, has a story that is "equally resonant, compelling, and in many ways, more terrifying."

Safran referred to Clayface as "experimental" and an "indie style chiller," diverging from traditional superhero films. Gunn echoed this sentiment, describing the movie as "pure f\*\*\*ing horror," highlighting its psychological and body horror elements. He confirmed the film's R rating, expressing enthusiasm for the script, stating, "If we were producing movies five years ago... and somebody had brought us this horror script called Clayface about this guy, we would have died to have produced this movie."