DC’s Clayface Movie Story Details Sound Similar to Oscar Nominated Horror Film

DC’s upcoming supervillain origin story might have an unexpected doppelganger in Hollywood. Recent revelations about the plot of Clayface, DC Studios’ planned $40 million horror film about the shape-shifting Batman villain, bear striking similarities to a critically acclaimed body horror film currently generating Oscar buzz. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie will follow “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” – a premise that parallels themes explored in Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance, starring Demi Moore.

The DC project, scripted by horror maestro Mike Flanagan but awaiting a director, has been officially greenlit for a September 11, 2026 release. While Flanagan himself is unavailable to direct due to commitments to a Carrie TV series and The Exorcist reboot, the search for a replacement has sparked industry speculation. James Watkins is reportedly in consideration, while previous rumors about Jeff Wadlow’s involvement have been dismissed.

DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran has positioned the film as a horror movie in the vein of David Cronenberg’s The Fly. However, the timing and thematic overlap with The Substance – which features Moore as a woman who undergoes physical transformation through an experimental treatment – raises questions about potential audience fatigue with body horror narratives centered on transformation and identity.

Clayface‘s modest $40 million budget suggests a more intimate, psychological approach to the material, aligning with Flanagan’s reputation for character-driven horror. Production locations are still under consideration, with Vancouver, Toronto, New Jersey, and Atlanta all in the mix, though The Hollywood Reporter argues for keeping the Hollywood-set story in Los Angeles.

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The parallel development of these similarly-themed projects highlights an interesting trend in contemporary horror, where superhero narratives are increasingly borrowing from art house sensibilities. While The Substance has earned critical acclaim and Oscar buzz for its exploration of identity and transformation through a feminist lens, Clayface will need to find ways to distinguish itself, thematically. However, while Clayface is set to have similarities to The Substance, it is also worth noting that it also appears that the DC film will be leaning into the character’s comic book history as well. In comics, the Basil Karlo iteration of Clayface was, originally, a B-list actor who, in the DC Rebirth continuity, uses a chemical to restore his appearance after a car accident — but overdoses and it turns him into Clayface.

This creative challenge comes at a crucial time for DC Studios as the company continues to reshape its cinematic universe. The character’s recent appearance in James Gunn’s animated Creature Commandos series, voiced by Alan Tudyk, suggests potential connections to the broader DCU. However, the success of Clayface may ultimately depend on whether it can transform familiar body horror tropes into something fresh, even as The Substance casts a long shadow over similar territory.

The hiring of Flanagan to pen the screenplay indicates DC’s commitment to crafting a serious horror film rather than a traditional superhero movie. Flanagan’s track record with psychological horror in projects like Doctor Sleep and The Haunting of Hill House demonstrates his ability to explore deeper themes of trauma and identity through genre storytelling. Whether this approach will be enough to differentiate Clayface from The Substance remains to be seen, but it suggests that DC is prioritizing storytelling depth over spectacle in this particular venture.

Clayface is currently scheduled to open in theaters on September 11, 2026.

What do you think about the similarities between Clayface and The Substance? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.