Warner Bros. and DC Studios have released the final trailer for Clayface, offering another look at the upcoming R-rated horror film ahead of its October 23 theatrical release. Directed by James Watkins (Speak No Evil), the film stars Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, a rising Hollywood actor whose attempt to repair his disfigured face transforms him into one of Batman’s most recognizable adversaries.
The new trailer places greater emphasis on Hagen’s physical transformation, offering glimpses of the grotesque consequences of an experimental medical procedure. What begins as an opportunity to reclaim his former appearance gradually becomes a nightmare as Hagen loses control of his body and his grip on reality. The footage continues to emphasize the film’s body-horror approach, presenting the character’s transformation as a disturbing medical catastrophe rather than a conventional superhero origin story.
Hagen’s story begins when a local crime boss leaves the once-promising actor horribly disfigured, abruptly ending his Hollywood career. Abandoned by his representatives and desperate to regain his former appearance, he undergoes an experimental treatment that initially restores his face. However, the procedure has unforeseen consequences, sending him down a destructive path fueled by revenge.
The film marks DC Studios’ first major venture into body horror under James Gunn and Peter Safran. Unlike the more traditional superhero stories featured in Superman and Supergirl, Clayface focuses on the psychological and physical deterioration of its central character. The film has received an R rating for bloody violence, gore, language, some nudity and brief drug use.
Watkins directs from a screenplay by Mike Flanagan (Doctor Sleep, The Haunting of Hill House) and Hossein Amini (Drive), based on a story by Flanagan. The supporting cast includes Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, Nancy Carroll and Joshua James. Gunn and Safran serve as producers alongside Matt Reeves and Lynn Harris.
Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, Clayface made his comic book debut in 1940’s Detective Comics #40. The original character, Basil Karlo, was a former actor who adopted the identity of a movie monster and embarked on a killing spree. Matt Hagen, the version featured in the upcoming film, debuted in 1961’s Detective Comics #298 and gained the ability to reshape his body after encountering a mysterious substance. The character has since appeared in numerous Batman comics, animated series and video games, most notably Batman: The Animated Series, where he was voiced by Ron Perlman.
Although the character has traditionally been portrayed as one of Batman’s adversaries, the upcoming film takes a different approach by examining the circumstances that lead to Hagen’s transformation. Its emphasis on identity, physical disfigurement and revenge also allows DC Studios to explore a different side of Gotham City without centering the story on the Dark Knight.
Clayface arrives exclusively in theaters on October 23, 2026.