Gunn's DCU: Clayface's Essential Role

James Gunn and Peter Safran, co-heads of DC Studios, have confirmed that the upcoming Clayface film is officially part of the DC Universe (DCU) and will receive an R rating.

Clayface, a long-standing Batman adversary, is a former Gotham City criminal with the power to alter his clay-like body into any form. The character's first iteration, Basil Karlo, debuted in Detective Comics #40 (1940).

DC Studios announced a September 11, 2026 release date for the Clayface movie last month. This decision reportedly followed the success of HBO's The Penguin series. Horror maestro Mike Flanagan penned the script, with Lynn Harris producing alongside The Batman director Matt Reeves.

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During a DC Studios presentation to IGN, Gunn and Safran explained Clayface's inclusion in the DCU, differentiating it from Matt Reeves' The Batman Epic Crime Saga. Gunn confirmed, "Clayface is totally DCU," clarifying that Reeves' saga encompasses only the Batman trilogy and The Penguin series. While under the DC Studios umbrella, these projects remain distinct.

Safran emphasized the importance of Clayface within the DCU: "It's an origin story for a classic Batman villain that we want to have in our world." Gunn added that Clayface's tone wouldn't suit the grounded realism of Reeves' films, stating it was "very outside of the grounded non-super metahuman characters in Matt's world."

DC Studios is reportedly finalizing negotiations with James Watkins (Speak No Evil) to direct. Filming is scheduled to begin this summer. Safran described Clayface as an "incredible body horror film" revealing a compelling origin story, adding that the project was greenlit due to Flanagan's exceptional screenplay. He anticipates casting once the director is confirmed. While acknowledging Clayface's lesser-known status compared to The Penguin or The Joker, Safran believes his story is equally compelling and terrifying.

Safran described Clayface as "experimental," unlike a traditional superhero film, and an "indie style chiller." Gunn characterized it as "pure f***ing horror, like, totally real… so real and true and psychological and body horror and gross." Gunn confirmed the film's R rating.

Gunn further elaborated, stating that if presented with Flanagan's script five years ago, during their Belko Experiment era, they would have eagerly produced it, highlighting the script's quality and the bonus of its DCU integration.