One of the upcoming projects in the DC Universe franchise is the film Clayface, which is being written by Mike Flanagan. While Flanagan’s filmmaking sensibilities would have made him an ideal choice to direct the movie, his busy schedule will prevent him from helming Clayface. After a search, it’s now been confirmed that James Watkins will call the shots. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he’s in the process of finalizing his deal with Warner Bros. after making a presentation to DC Studios co-head James Gunn. The plan is to begin production on Clayface later this year. No actors are attached to the film yet.
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Clayface was first announced in December 2024, and the film quickly secured a release date of September 11, 2026. Reported plot details indicate the movie’s story follows “a B-movie actor who injects himself with a substance to keep himself relevant,” drawing comparisons to Best Picture nominee The Substance. Based on that description, Clayface could be drawing from the comics featuring Basil Karlo, a B-list actor who becomes Clayface after overdosing on chemicals.
Finding a director for Clayface has been a priority for Warner Bros. Last week, word was the studio had narrowed its choices to Jeff Wadlow and Watkins. Clayface is set to be produced by DC Studios’ Gunn and Peter Safran, alongside Matt Reeves and Lynn Harris.
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Clayface stems from Flanagan’s desire to make what he called a “horror/thriller/tragedy” about the character, so it makes sense WB was targeting directors with horror backgrounds. While most fans were probably hoping Flanagan would direct, the choice of Watkins is solid. With the likes of Speak No Evil, The Woman in Black, and Eden Lake under his belt, he’s demonstrated an ability to craft films sporting eerie thrills and strong performances. While not every project from Watkins is a critical darling, that combination should bode well for Clayface, which is aiming to tell a compelling character-driven story about someone going through a terrifying transformation. It’ll be interesting to see how Watkins’ filmmaking style blends with Flanagan’s script.
The next order of business should be casting an actor for the titular role. No reported frontrunners have emerged yet; while Alan Tudyk voices Clayface on the animated TV show Creature Commandos, that’s not a guarantee he’ll make the jump to live-action. With a director now in place and the plan to shoot Clayface later this year, casting announcements could be right around the corner. Once rumored names start popping up, fans will know if WB is eyeing a relative unknown or if it’ll go for an A-list name to give the mid-budget film some extra star power.
