James Gunn Explains Why the Clayface Movie Had to Be a Part of the DCU and Not Matt Reeves' The Batman Epic Crime Saga

DCU co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran have confirmed the upcoming Clayface film as a DCU canon entry, boasting an R rating. The film centers on Clayface, a notorious Gotham City criminal with the ability to morph his clay-like body into anyone or anything – a classic Batman adversary first introduced as Basil Karlo in 1940's Detective Comics #40.

DC Studios announced a September 11, 2026, release date last month, a decision reportedly influenced by the success of HBO's The Penguin series. Horror maestro Mike Flanagan penned the screenplay, with Lynn Harris producing alongside The Batman director Matt Reeves.

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Gunn and Safran, speaking at a DC Studios presentation attended by IGN, explained Clayface's inclusion within the main DCU continuity, differentiating it from Matt Reeves' The Batman Epic Crime Saga. Safran clarified that only the Batman trilogy and The Penguin series fall under Reeves' separate narrative. While maintaining a strong relationship with Reeves, the Clayface project is firmly within the broader DCU.

Gunn emphasized the importance of Clayface's presence in the DCU, describing it as an origin story for a pivotal Batman villain. He further highlighted Clayface's incompatibility with the grounded realism of Reeves' cinematic universe, stating it sits outside the more "grounded non-super metahuman characters" of that world.

Negotiations with Speak No Evil director James Watkins to helm the project are reportedly nearing completion, with filming slated for this summer. Safran described Clayface as an "experimental" body horror film, an "indie style chiller," offering a compelling origin story. Gunn reinforced this, labeling it "pure f***ing horror," emphasizing its realistic, psychological, and visceral nature.

The R rating was confirmed by Gunn, who further stated that if presented with the script five years prior, they would have eagerly produced it due to its exceptional body horror elements. The film's inclusion in the DCU is considered a bonus.