Clayface Is Hiding Only a Few DC Easter Eggs, But Here’s Where You Can Spot Them

Clayface takes viewers on a horror-themed journey into Gotham City, where a hopeful actor named Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries) gets transformed into a deranged killer with shapeshifting abilities gained through radical science. One of the biggest reactions to Clayface has been the surprise (if not backlash) at how the film doesn’t feel connected to any larger DC movie franchise – be it Matt Reeves’ The Batman or James Gunn’s DC Universe of interconnected TV and film projects. That isn’t stopping anyone from enjoying the film: Clayface won the box office on opening weekend and has already recouped its production budget by earning $46.5 million.

However, while it is very much a standalone story, Clayface does offer some larger connections to Batman lore, including a few Easter egg references that are mostly meant for DC diehards.

“Feat of Clay”

It’s been no secret that Clayface has been largely inspired by Batman: The Animated Series‘ two-part episode “Feat of Clay”, which introduced the version of Matt Hagen/Clayface most people know now. The Clayface movie has several Easter egg references to “Feat of Clay”, including Matt Hagen working for “Imperial Pictures,” a movie studio from that episode, and the imagery of the laughing/crying theater masks, which was the title card for the episode.

There was also Dr. Caitlyn Corry’s (Naomi Ackie) mentioning that her partners took the living clay research and used it to start a beauty company. That’s a direct nod to “Feat of Clay”, whose origin story frames Matt Hagen as an actor addicted to a cosmetic cream called “Renuyu,” which allows him to morph his facial features to cover up a horrible disfigurement. In the cartoon origin, gangsters try to drown Hagen in Renuyu, only to have the experimental cream transform him into the living lump known as “Clayface.”

“One Bad Day”

Another big inspiration for the new Clayface movie is the comic Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface, the 2023 one-shot by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, and artist Xermanico. The story re-imagines the very first Clayface, Basil Karlo, combining his original backstory as a deranged actor (and master of disguise) with Matt Hagen’s living clay powers.

OBD: Clayface sees Karlo leave Gotham and try to resume his acting career in Hollywood under a new identity. However, the shark-filled waters of Los Angeles and the film industry quickly make the supervillain “break character” and start committing a grisly string of serial killings, replacing whomever he needs to to advance his own career.

Thematically, Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface is right in line with the live-action version, and gets several Easter egg nods from the movie – including an in-universe film called “One Bad Day” that’s playing at the theater where Matt Hagen has a premiere event. The film’s subplot about Matt’s traitorous best friend and fellow actor, Corey Jameson, is also a reference to OBD: Clayface, in which Basil Karlo kills and impersonates his friend Corey to steal a big role.

“No Man’s Land”

The other movie playing at the theater alongside One Bad Day is a movie called No Man’s Land, another reference to Batman comic books. In 1999, DC started a massive crossover story arc in Batman comic books, called “No Man’s Land.” It saw Gotham City rocked by a massive Earthquake, followed by the gritty city being declared uninhabitable, or a “no man’s land.” Gotham is quarantined, with all bridges and access points cut off; inside the city, Batman tries to retain order as Gotham is divided into different territories held by either gangs, supervillains, or other Bat-Family members and/or vigilantes. “No Man’s Land” remains a famous Batman story, that influenced films like Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, and is even rumored to have inspired parts of The Batman: Part II.

Gotham City Tour

We may not get to see much of Gotham City in Clayface, but some famous city locations do get Easter egg nods. That includes Matt Hagen being from the impoverished area of Gotham known as “The Narrows” (featured in Batman Begins); Matt being admitted to Gotham Central Hospital after his face is cut up (the place Joker blew up in The Dark Knight), and mob boss Markos Szabo’s “Club Vesuvius” where Matt massacres Szabo and his gang. Vesuvius was once the hideout of Batman villain Firefly, and is a club frequented by DC’s magician/sorceress Zatanna.

Coast City

Matt Hagen is living his best life when his career takes off he moves from the poor side of Gotham to Coast City, where he shoots movies for Imperial Pictures and spends his days hanging by the pool with his buddy Corey (Joshua James), and hooking up with beautiful women.

Coast City also happens to be the home of Hal Jordan (Kyle Chander), the Green Lantern featured in the DC Universe and HBO hit series Lanterns. Funny enough, the DC version of Hollywood looks largely the same in Lanterns, but Clayface director James Watkins has already confirmed it’s a coincidence.

Creator Nods

As is the custom, some iconic DC comic book creators get a head nod in Clayface. Batman co-creator Bob Kane gets a shoutout in the form of “Kane’s Candy Store” being a local shop Matt passes by. Matt Hagen’s crooked account Frank Fitzpatrick (Eddie Marsan) has his office located in the “Moldoff Building,” a reference to iconic DC artist Sheldon “Shelly” Moldoff, one of Kane’s early uncredited “ghost artists” on the Batman comic. Moldoff co-created Batman villains Clayface, Scarecrow, and Mr. Freeze, as well as Batman universe characters Batwoman (Katherine Kane), Bat-Girl (Bette Kane), and Bat-Mite.

Bruce Wayne

While Batman does not appear in Clayface at all, or even get mentioned, the same cannot be said for Bruce Wayne. During an early media montage about Matt Hagen’s rise to stardom, there’s a brief news clipping of Hagen and his actor buddy Corey being photographed together at a charity event for kids held at the Wayne Community Center. If nothing helse, it’s a testament to Batman using other resources to help Gotham.

The Joker

Just like with Batman, Clayface uses locations in Gotham as its means of signaling to fans that The Joker could be active in this world, even if we don’t see him. Amusement Mile is the Gotham theme park that gets shut down and has instead served as Joker’s base of operations in stories like The Killing Joke and The Dark Knight Returns. It has also been an Easter egg in both Joker (the clown agency Arthur Fleck works for) and the major climactic set piece for Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).

In Clayface, a sign for the entrance to Amusement Mile is seen in a shady side street that Dr. Corr is hurridly walking down to escape a mob goon stalking her.

Did you spot any other Clayface Easter Eggs? Let us know in the comments!

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