Naomi Ackie in Talks for DCU's 'Clayface' Horror Film

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Mickey 17 actress Naomi Ackie is currently in negotiations for Warner Bros.' upcoming Clayface film, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The DC Universe project will be directed by Speak No Evil's James Watkins.

Casting Takes Shape for DC's Body Horror Entry

Sources reveal Ackie participated in a script reading last week, emerging as the top contender for the undisclosed lead role. The British actress could join Welsh actor Tom Rhys Harries, already cast as the titular shapeshifting villain.

Horror maestro Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep) penned the screenplay that reinvents Batman's classic foe through a Cronenbergian lens. The story follows a disfigured actor who undergoes experimental treatment from a dubious scientist – described as an "Elizabeth Holmes-style" character – with horrific consequences.

A Dark Reimagining Emerges

While plot specifics remain confidential, early reports compare the film's tone to David Cronenberg's 1986 masterpiece The Fly. Insiders suggest Ackie may be playing the morally ambiguous scientist at the center of the transformation.

The Batman director Matt Reeves produces alongside Lynn Harris and DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran. This marks Warner Bros.' latest move to expand its DC slate with director-driven, genre-specific projects.

Currently scheduled for theatrical release on September 11, 2026, the Clayface film joins Warner Bros.' growing roster of DC Universe titles blending superhero mythology with distinct horror elements.