Though DC Studios’ “Clayface” doesn’t release until near Halloween (October 23, 2026), the vibes are getting creepier, spookier, and gorier as the date draws closer. At CinemaCon 2026 in Caesars Palace during the Warner Bros. presentation, attendees and media alike got to watch the very first, never-before-seen footage of the iconic Batman villain’s first live-action film.
Written by Mike Flanagan, directed by James Watkins, and inspired by the ‘Feat of Clay’ episodes of “Batman: The Animated Series,” the movie promises a more horror-leaning look at the insecure and terrifying antagonist that frequently plagues Gotham City.
Along with this, DC is doubling down on Clayface with the upcoming release of “Clayface: Celebrity Dirt,” a new “Batman‑universe noir horror” comic book mini-series from Jude Ellison S. Doyle, Fran Galán, Patricio Delpeche, and Tom Napolitano. Although this new series isn’t about Matt Hagen, its focus will be the other Clayface: Basil Karlo and his “twisted journey through fame, transformation, and self‑destruction,” via DC Comics.
What Was in That Footage?
The short teaser introduced CinemaCon audiences Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, a Gotham City actor whose brush with success in the movie business takes a nightmarish turn into visceral body horror. Set to the ironically poignant lyrics of The Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realize??,” the footage shows quick flashes of Hagen’s frightening transition into a monster after being disfigured.
We get glimpses of this version of Gotham, cut between images of Hagen’s bandaged and bloodied face, one eye staring into the camera. The very last scene was the most unsettling, however, drawing gasps from the crowd. Hagen, curled up naked in a bathtub, slides his hand across his face only to have his features smear like smooth putty. The teaser leans heavily into a grotesque, horror aesthetic, punctuated by jump scares and the literal rearrangement of Hagen’s identity. It had the entire crowd buzzing afterwards, pushing the incoming “Clayface” into top five anticipated movies territory.
What’s the New Clayface Comic About?
On the comics side of things, Clayface is getting a new six-issue mini-series to keep up the momentum throughout the year. The 32-page debut issue arrives July 8, 2026, the timing perfectly aligning with the release of the film in October, with each new issue arriving before, during, and after the movie comes out.
“Clayface: Celebrity Dirt” sounds like a wild, noir-inspired trip of self-destruction, self-loathing, and fame. The story follows Basil Karlo after he breaks out of Arkham, only to find some doppelgänger has stolen his life and become a massive movie star in his place. It’s basically a deep dive into Basil’s mid-life crisis, where he’s torn between wanting that Hollywood spotlight and dealing with the fact that he’s literally a “disintegrating mess” underneath. With a clay-based plague spreading and some dark family secrets bubbling up, it looks like a gritty, gory look at the iconic Gotham villain’s insecurities.
DC has been all about alignment between live-action and comics lately, to much success on the comics side. Elevating Mr. Terrific and Guy Gardner in the comics after the success of “Superman” was a brilliant decision. With “Supergirl” (plus all the books releasing in her wake) and “Clayface” coming, DC is poised to do big things with their book-film synergy this year.
Need a ‘Feat of Clay’ Reminder?
The “Feat of Clay” two-parter is considered the gold standard when it comes to Clayface lore. It chronicles the tragic transformation of one Matt Hagen, who is changed after being force-fed a massive quantity of the transformative chemical Renuyu by Roland Daggett’s henchmen.
Vengeance being a major theme in Gotham, Hagen uses his new, malleable form to frame Bruce Wayne and attack Daggett’s interests, only to be stopped by Batman, of course. By bombarding Hagen with images of his former acting roles, Batman triggers a psychological and physical overload, causing the actor’s body to uncontrollably mimic dozens of identities until he collapses from exhaustion. Though the world believes Hagen perished in the struggle, there’s a reveal that he survived, having successfully slipped away in a new disguise.
In addition to this two-parter, “BTAS” has given us so many gems, like Harley Quinn and Mark Hamill as Joker, so it’s no wonder the studio keeps diving back into that well for live-action content. Soon, audiences will see just how much Flanagan pulled from the animated series, from the comics, and from his own brain.
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