After “Supergirl” bombed at the box office, DC Studios needs a hit to restore confidence in its burgeoning cinematic universe. Making its next film an origin story for the Batman villain Clayface is certainly a bold swing, but based on the second trailer, it could be a knock out of the park.
The first “Clayface” trailer was just over a minute long and mostly offered brief glimpses of Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries) suffering a horrific accident that leaves him scarred and becoming the shape-shifting villain Clayface. The second offers more in the way of story, as Matt suffers at the hands of criminals and undergoes an experimental treatment to restore his movie star good looks. But while he feels fine at first, it’s obvious there are some dangerous side effects he’ll have to contend with.
One of the most spine-tingling moments in the trailer comes when Matt gets some loose skin over his eyes after rubbing them. His skin is becoming more unstable, so he heads to the restroom and pulls out some scissors in what’s sure to not be a scene for the squeamish. “Clayface” is going all in on body horror, which should allow it to carve out an identity all its own in a crowded superhero market.
We won’t see Clayface’s true form until the movie is out
Warner Bros.
The new “Clayface” trailer offers plenty of gruesome moments, from Matt Hagen’s face sagging to him trying to get his newfound powers under control. And in one shot, Matt gets punched in the face, only for his skin to droop them and absorb the impact. This is all par for the course for Clayface in the comics and extended media. The final shot sees Dr. Caitlin Corr (Naomi Ackie) looking on in horror as a monster takes shape before her.
This is undoubtedly Clayface’s true form — the giant mud monster he becomes when not trying to resemble a regular human. But we’ll have to wait until the movie comes out to see Clayface in all his glory. Director James Watkins confirmed as much speaking with Entertainment Weekly, saying, “I think people give away too much … I believe in the power of mystery and the power of suggestion and the power of people putting two and two together. I think it’s more fun.”
It’s still unclear whether the new DC Universe will have a unique Batman separate from the one in Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” but for now, we’ll take introduction to Gotham. We called it back in 2025 that “Clayface” would blow everyone away this year, and the trailers make that prediction look accurate. Hopefully, “Clayface” shows the DCU can do more than fun comedic adventures with lots of needle drops.
