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.

Clayface, a notorious Gotham City criminal with shape-shifting clay-like abilities, is a long-standing Batman adversary. Basil Karlo, the character's first iteration, debuted in Detective Comics #40 (1940).

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

Confirmed DCU Projects

11 Images

Gunn and Safran, speaking at a DC Studios presentation covered by IGN, explained Clayface's inclusion in the main DCU continuity, rather than Matt Reeves' The Batman universe.

"Clayface is definitively DCU," Gunn stated. Safran added, clarifying, "Matt's world, his Crime Saga, encompasses only the Batman trilogy and The Penguin series. It's still under DC Studios, under our purview. We have a fantastic relationship with Matt, but those are the only projects within that specific continuity."

"It was crucial that Clayface be part of the DCU. It's an origin story for a classic Batman villain we wanted in our universe," Gunn emphasized. He further explained Clayface's incompatibility with the grounded realism of Reeves' saga: "It was too far outside the grounded, non-superpowered metahuman characters in Matt's world."

Safran confirmed ongoing negotiations with Speak No Evil director James Watkins, hinting at a near-certain deal. Filming is slated to begin this summer.

"This summer, cameras roll on Clayface, a gripping body horror film revealing a compelling origin story for a classic Batman villain. This is another title added to our lineup thanks to Mike Flanagan's exceptional screenplay," Safran announced. "We're negotiating with James Watkins to direct, and casting will commence once the directorial deal is finalized. The film is set for a fall 2026 release. Clayface might be less familiar than The Penguin or The Joker, but we believe his story is equally compelling, and in many ways, more terrifying."

During the presentation, Safran described Clayface as "experimental," differing from a typical superhero blockbuster, and an "indie-style chiller." Gunn described it as "pure f***ing horror, totally realistic. Their version is so real, true, psychological, and intensely body horror."

Gunn confirmed the R-rating, stating, "Peter and I discussed this when we first saw the script. If we were producing films five years ago, during the Belko Experiment era, and someone pitched this horror script about Clayface, we'd have jumped at the chance. It's a superb body horror script, and its inclusion in the DCU is a bonus."