Summary
Batman: The Animated Series' depiction of the sympathetic villain Clayface is as grounded as it is horrifying. His showdown with Batman in the two-part special episode ‘Feat of Clay’ is one of the most spectacular fights in any Batman medium. Its story follows a similar arc to recent best picture nominee,The Substance, a film that is also powered by shocking body horror elements. Clayface will get his own R-rated feature film in 2026, which begins filming this summer, according to DC co-chiefs James Gunn and Peter Saffran.
At a recentDC Studiospress conference, James Gunn said the film would be “pure f****ng horror.” So, there should be no need to hold back as the film is confirmed to be a full-fledged body horror spectacle, outdoing the mild scares of DC’s past R-rated projects such as 2009’sWatchmenandThe Joker films.Batman: The Animated Series' version of Clayface challenged the content parameters of family television. It’s only natural for Gunn’sClayfaceto skirt DC’s heroic tradition of pulling horror punches on the big screen.
The Stage Is Set For DC’s Most Abominable Actor
Shape-shifting supervillian Clayface has taken many forms with different human subjects throughout his DC Comics run, butthe upcoming film will likely focus on the comcs' original Clayface, B-Movie ActorBasil Karlo. There’s a chance his abilities may adopt those of a later version of Clayface: Bill Finger and Sheldon Moldoff’s Silver Age iteration character, Matt Hagen, due to his unique ability to shape-shift.
Shape-shifting is a skill pivotal to Clayface’s most infamous depiction so far. Matt Hagen/Basil Karlo’s hybrid Clayface was famously introduced in Bruce Timm’sBatman: The Animated Seriesunder the official name of Matt Hagen. This Clayface had theGreen Lantern-esque tool creationof Hagen, with Karlo’s descending actor origin story. Batman sees him adopt a scythe for an arm and brick wall fist before toppling off a rooftop to land into a pool of himself, showcasing his impossible resilience.
Batman: The Animated SeriesSeason 1, Episode 6 ‘Feat of Clay’ plays all the classic superhero hits: tragic flashbacks, elaborate fight scenes, and of course, vats of acid. The series depicts Hagen as a popular actor who desperately hides his disfigurement after suffering a car accident. Hagen uses a dangerous chemical from Dagget’s Laboratories which allows him to transform his face without the use of makeup or prosthetics.
After his addictive reliance on the substance leads him to impersonate Bruce Wayne, injure Luscious Fox, and break into the Dagget factory, Hagen falls into a trap set by Roland Dagget, who knew Hagen would be back to replenish his stock. Dagget’s henchmen catch and subdue him, pouring the chemical down his throat and forcing him to swallow copious amounts,birthing the villain Clayface.
It’s unknown whether Clayface will be powered down for his film, or if he’ll be as invulnerable and shape-shifty as he is in the show. InBTAS, Hagen is a flailing actor who succumbs to murky vices until he loses himself to the subjects he so desperately coveted. As Clayface, he can morph into almost any form he pleases. He’s also mostly invulnerable, minus an apparent vulnerability to electricity, which culminates in a gore-less body horror sequence to close out the special two-part episode.
The Clay Face Of A Horror Franchise?
Body horror, traditionally a niche genre, is currently having a moment in the sun with the recent success of the Academy Award-nominated sci-fi horror filmThe Substance.Additionally, James Gunn has lately established a darker tone to the DC cinematic universe thatplays perfectly with the grim nature of the studio’s upcomingClayfacefilm.
James Gunn’sCreature Commandoswas a funny-ish episodic tragedy, detailing the increasingly horrifying backstories of each villainous special operations team member in a fun monster-of-the-week fashion. While the show was lively and colorfully animated, its subject matter was difficult to watch at times, subjecting viewers who may have been expecting a comedic romp into stories involving relentless torture and the drawn-out deaths of children.
For those who haven’t seen the series, it can be loosely described as Rocket Raccoon’s tragic origin sequence fromGuardians of the Galaxy Volume 3stretched over seven episodes, except far more grisly. IfCreature Commandosis the yardstick by which Gunn’s thematic treachery should be measured, then audiences will likely be surprised by how extreme his “pure f****ng body horror” proves to be, regardless of the source material he draws from.
What To Expect From Clayface In 2026
Clayfaceis being penned byThe Haunting of Hill Housecreator Mike Flanagan and produced by Gunn, Safran, and Matt Reeves, who’s responsible forThe Batmanand HBO’sThe Penguin. Lynn Harris will also co-produce. No actors have been confirmed yet for the upcoming film.
The revolting, violent example for Clayface set byBatman: The Animated Seriesis a worthy one, despite its tailoring to family audiences. Given the extreme lengths ofCreature Commandos' thematic materialandThe Substance’s commercial success, Gunn and company are sure to moldClayfaceinto the most R-rated version of the film DC audiences can possibly handle.
