Clayface Gets Director Update, Story Details for DCU Movie Revealed

A new update on DC’s Clayface movie is out courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision newsletter, offering up new information on the search for a director, and what the movie will be about.

What’s the latest update on the Clayface movie?

In the latest edition of the newsletter, Aaron Couch and Borys Kit note that Jeff Wadlow — who was just reported to be in the mix for the role of director yesterday by Deadline — is actually not involved in the film in any way. The report mentions that James Watkins is expected to speak to DC, however, and that DC Studios considered J.A. Bayona (Society of the Snow) to direct the project last year, as well.

As for Mike Flanagan, the writer of the film and someone who has directed several of his own projects before, the newsletter mentions he is unable to do so due to previous commitments to projects like the Carrie TV series in development, as well as his upcoming reboot of The Exorcist.

THR’s report also touched on some story details for the upcoming movie. As reported previously, Clayface will be a horror film of sorts, with Heat Vision saying that the movie will pull from the comic book characters origins as a “B-movie actor who injects himself with a substance to keep himself relevant only to find out that he can reshape his face and form, becoming a walking piece of clay.”

What do we know about DC’s Clayface movie?

Currently, not a whole lot about the movie is known, but the list of directors being looked at does corroborate reports that the film will be a horror-thriller of sorts. The movie is being written by prolific and critically acclaimed writer/filmmaker Mike Flanagan.

On Threads, James Gunn called Clayface a “DCU story,” meaning that it will be set within the continuity of Gunn and Peter Safran’s new shared DC universe that recently kicked off with the animated Creature Commandos series. 

While no casting has been officially announced for the Clayface movie as of yet, it’s worth noting that Alan Tudyk is voicing the character in Creature Commandos. Gunn has previously said that actors who voice major animated characters in DCU projects will also play them in live-action, which is the case for Frank Grillo as he’s voicing Rick Flag Sr. in Creature Commandos and will also appear in 2025’s live-action Superman movie.

Additionally, Gunn has said that Tudyk will play a live-action character in the DCU. It wasn’t initially clear who he meant as Tudyk also voices Doctor Phosphorus and Will Magnus in addition to Clayface in Creature Commandos.

(Source: The Hollywood Reporter)