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James Watkins, best known for directing Speak No Evil and The Woman in Black, has been tapped to helm DC’s upcoming Clayface movie. The project, written by horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan, is being overseen by DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran.
DC Studios has been searching for a director for several months, with Gunn reportedly meeting with Watkins last Thursday for a final presentation before making the decision. With Watkins now attached, a deal is being finalized as the studio gears up to begin production later this year. The film is scheduled for release on September 11, 2026, and will be one of DC’s more modestly budgeted projects.
What we know about the Clayface movie
First introduced in 1940, Clayface has been portrayed in various forms across DC media, often depicted as a shapeshifting villain capable of molding his appearance into anyone or anything. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the upcoming film is budgeted at $40 million and will center on a B-movie actor who injects himself with an experimental substance to stay relevant. However, the procedure goes horribly wrong, turning him into a grotesque, ever-changing creature made of living clay.
Casting for Clayface has yet to be announced, but Gunn and Safran have previously stated that DC Studios aims for continuity between its animated and live-action projects. This means that actors voicing characters in DC’s animated shows could reprise their roles in live-action. Alan Tudyk currently voices Clayface in Harley Quinn and Creature Commandos.
The Clayface movie is part of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s broader strategy to balance large-scale superhero films with smaller, genre-driven projects. While Superman will serve as the flagship film for the DC Universe reboot, Clayface represents a different approach, delivering a horror-focused story centered on one of Batman’s most unique villains.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
