With Mike Flanagan’s R-rated DCU horror film arriving September 11, 2026, Clayface is finally getting the recognition he deserves as one of Batman’s most complex and genuinely frightening villains. This isn’t just another shapeshifter story—it’s a meditation on identity, fame, and what happens when our desperate need to be seen literally consumes us.
The upcoming DC Clayface movie, starring Tom Rhys Harries as the tragic Matt Hagen, promises to deliver the kind of body horror that made The Fly a classic, but set within the DC Universe. As someone who’s been following Batman comics since the Bronze Age, I can confidently say this film represents everything that makes Clayface work as both villain and victim.
Who Is Clayface? The Batman Villain Explained
When people think of Batman’s greatest villains, they usually rattle off the obvious suspects: Joker, Two-Face, Penguin, Riddler. But there’s something uniquely unsettling about Clayface that sets him apart from the rest of Gotham’s rogues gallery. In 2009, Clayface was ranked as IGN’s 73rd-greatest comic book villain of all time, and honestly, that feels criminally low for a character who represents one of our most primal fears—losing our identity entirely.
What strikes me most about Clayface’s enduring appeal is how his very existence challenges the fundamental concept of selfhood. While most Batman villains are defined by their obsessions or trauma, Clayface literally becomes other people. It’s body horror at its most existential, and eight different characters have taken on the Clayface mantle over the decades, each bringing their own tragic spin to the concept of transformation gone wrong.
Most incarnations of the character possess clay-like bodies and shapeshifting abilities, making him one of Batman’s most formidable supernatural foes. But the real power of Clayface lies not in what he can do to others—it’s what he’s done to himself.
What Are Clayface’s Powers and Abilities?
From a comic book perspective, Clayface represents the perfect villain for Batman because his powers directly challenge everything the Dark Knight stands for. Batman’s greatest strength is his preparation—knowing his enemies, understanding their patterns, anticipating their moves. But how do you prepare for someone who can literally become anyone?
Clayface has the ability to shapeshift and change his body’s forms, allowing him to turn into anything or anyone. He can also make any of his limbs into weapons like axes, maces, or hammers. Because he’s made out of clay, he is immune to most physical attacks and can use his clay form to suffocate and smother other people.
What makes modern Clayface particularly formidable is his evolution beyond simple mimicry. In Scott Snyder’s “Nowhere Man” storyline, we learn that Clayface has developed the ability to perfectly replicate people at the cellular level, essentially becoming perfect clones rather than just shapeshifted copies. This power upgrade transforms him from party trick to existential threat—imagine a villain who doesn’t just look like Bruce Wayne but IS Bruce Wayne, down to his DNA.
The different versions have varying abilities: Matt Hagen must recharge his powers in radioactive protoplasm, Sondra Fuller can replicate superpowers of those she imitates, while Preston Payne and Peter Malley melt matter on contact.
How Did Clayface Become a Shapeshifter? The Origin Story Explained
The original Clayface story from 1940’s Detective Comics #40 reads like a Hollywood noir fever dream, and that’s exactly what creators Bill Finger and Bob Kane intended. Basil Karlo was introduced as a B-list actor who initially committed murder under the identity of Clayface, one of his old roles, and started killing his victims in the same order they happened in the movie.
This origin hits differently when you consider the era it was written in. 1940s Hollywood was a machine that chewed up performers and spat them out, and Karlo’s descent into madness upon learning his classic horror film “Dread Castle” was being remade without him feels disturbingly prescient. The man so completely identified with his roles that when the industry moved on, he literally couldn’t exist without them.
What I find particularly fascinating is how this original version had no superpowers—rather than superpowers, the “Clayface” moniker originally stemmed from the fact that Basil quite literally wore a mask of clay. He was just a broken actor who couldn’t let go of the past, making him perhaps the most human villain Batman had encountered up to that point.
Everything changed in 1961 with Detective Comics #298 and the introduction of Matt Hagen, the first to demonstrate shapeshifting powers. Hagen is an adventurer who mutates after encountering a radioactive pool of protoplasm, transforming the character from psychological horror into full-blown science fiction nightmare.
When Was Clayface Created and How Has He Evolved?
Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, the original Clayface, Basil Karlo, appeared in Detective Comics #40 (June 1940) as a B-list actor who began a life of crime using the identity of a villain that he had portrayed in a horror film. Kane stated that the character was partially inspired by the 1925 Lon Chaney version of The Phantom of the Opera and that his name was derived from Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone.
The character’s evolution through the decades reflects changing approaches to horror and identity in popular culture. Matt Hagen introduced the power set we most associate with Clayface today in 1961, but what really sells the tragedy is the limitation: his new, clay-like form can transform into literally anything or anyone, but he has to dip himself into the pool to maintain his powers. It’s addiction metaphor disguised as superhero comic, and it’s brilliant in its simplicity.
Having followed Batman comics since the Bronze Age, I’ve always appreciated how this version balanced the fantastical elements with genuine pathos. Hagen wasn’t evil by choice—he was literally dependent on a substance that was slowly destroying his humanity.
What Is The Mud Pack? Batman’s Greatest Clayface Story Explained
If you want to understand why Clayface has such staying power, look no further than 1989’s “The Mud Pack” storyline from Detective Comics #604-607. Written by Alan Grant with art by Norm Breyfogle, this major Clayface-focused arc brought together multiple versions of the villain in a team-up against Batman.
The story begins with Basil Karlo and Sondra Fuller joining forces and freeing Preston Payne from Arkham Asylum. Karlo also tried to bring back Matt Hagen to life, but failed. What makes this storyline so compelling is how it treats each Clayface as a distinct character with their own motivations and methods, rather than just different versions of the same gimmick.
Unbeknownst to his newfound allies, though, Basil’s true intention was to use their genetic materials to imbue himself with abilities and become the “Ultimate Clayface.” This transformation essentially created the modern version of Basil Karlo that we know today—a master manipulator who combines the cunning of the original with the terrifying power of his successors.
The brilliance of “The Mud Pack” lies in how it makes Karlo the ultimate villain not through raw power, but through his understanding that identity is performance. He orchestrates the entire scheme while studying his “colleagues,” learning not just their abilities but their psychological weaknesses.
How Did Batman: The Animated Series Perfect Clayface?
Ask any Batman fan about their favorite Clayface story, and there’s a good chance they’ll point you toward the two-part “Feat of Clay” episodes from Batman: The Animated Series. Screenwriter Mike Flanagan said the film takes inspiration from the Batman: The Animated Series episodes “Feat of Clay: Part I” and “Feat of Clay: Part II” which also told the origin of Matt Hagen’s Clayface.
This version brilliantly merged the actor origin of Basil Karlo with the shapeshifting powers of Matt Hagen, creating what many consider the definitive Clayface origin. The story of a vain actor dependent on an experimental facial cream called “Renuyu” (a clear nod to Lon Chaney’s makeup artistry) who overdoses and transforms into a clay monster is pure tragedy wrapped in horror.
What makes this origin so effective is how it grounds the fantastic elements in real human desperation. We’ve all seen performers desperately trying to maintain their looks, their relevance, their youth. Matt Hagen’s addiction to Renuyu isn’t that different from any number of Hollywood cautionary tales, except the consequences are literally monstrous.
Why Is Clayface Getting His Own Movie? The DCU’s Bold Horror Experiment
DC Studios officially greenlit Clayface in December 2024, as part of the DCU, and the details we know so far suggest this isn’t going to be your typical superhero movie. Clayface is a body horror story about an up-and-coming actor whose face is disfigured by a gangster, and Safran said the film would not have a campy tone and instead compared it to the horror film The Fly (1986).
The David Cronenberg comparison is perfect, and it shows that DC Studios understands what makes Clayface work. This isn’t about a guy who can turn into a hammer or copy someone’s appearance for a heist—it’s about the horror of losing yourself completely, cell by cell, until you’re not even sure what “you” means anymore.
James Gunn explained that he had not planned to make a film about Clayface, but was won over by Flanagan’s pitch and subsequent script drafts. The film was intended to be produced on a “stripped down” budget of around $40 million, proving that DC is willing to experiment with smaller, more intimate stories alongside their tentpole releases.
Who Stars in the Clayface Movie? Cast and Release Date Details
Tom Rhys Harries will portray Matt Hagen/Clayface in the upcoming film, and while he’s not a household name, that actually works in the film’s favor. We need to believe in the character’s desperation to be seen, to be recognized, to matter. A less familiar face makes that journey more believable.
The Clayface movie cast also includes Naomi Ackie as the scientist who creates Clayface, with Max Minghella playing a Gotham City police detective who is dating Ackie’s character. Eddie Marsan has also joined the cast in an undisclosed role, as revealed by recent set photos from filming in Liverpool.
Clayface is scheduled to be released by Warner Bros. Pictures in the United States on September 11, 2026. It will be part of the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, marking the first R-rated entry in James Gunn’s new DC Universe.
Principal photography began on August 31, 2025, in Liverpool, England, under the working title Corinthians. Recent set photos have revealed “The Jokers” graffiti in the background, confirming that this Clayface film exists in a Gotham where Batman’s rogues gallery is already active, even if the Dark Knight himself hasn’t appeared yet.
How Has Clayface Evolved From Villain to Anti-Hero?
One of the most interesting developments in recent Clayface comics has been the character’s evolution from pure antagonist to reluctant ally. In Detective Comics #934, James Tynion IV decided to make Clayface a good guy as part of Batman’s team, and this wasn’t just a gimmicky redemption arc—it was a genuine examination of what redemption looks like for someone who’s lost their fundamental sense of self.
The scene where Batman finds Clayface watching one of his old movies in a theater is absolutely heartbreaking. “See that handsome guy right there, the one with those blue eyes that look right into your soul? That’s basil Carlo, that’s me,” he tells Batman. “There was talk that year I might get into the Oscar race for serus no joke, but then the accident happened.”
What I love about Tynion’s approach is how he doesn’t try to minimize Clayface’s past crimes or pretend they don’t matter. Instead, he shows us a character desperate to reclaim some semblance of the person he used to be. During his time as part of the Gotham Knights, Clayface formed a friendship with Cassandra Cain, learned basic hand-to-hand combat, and aided his teammates in training and battle.
What Are the Best Clayface Comics to Read?
For anyone looking to dive deeper into Clayface’s mythology, start with the essentials: Detective Comics #40 for the original, Detective Comics #298 for the powers, and the “Mud Pack” storyline (Detective Comics #604-607) for the character-defining team-up. Scott Snyder’s “Nowhere Man” (Batman #19-20) showcases the character at his most psychologically complex, while James Tynion IV’s Detective Comics run beginning with #934 offers the best redemption arc in comics.
The recent “Batman: One Bad Day – Clayface” one-shot perfectly captures this existential horror. Basil Carlo tries to restart his acting career in Los Angeles, but even with unlimited shapeshifting abilities, he can’t quite capture that indefinable quality that makes a performance authentic. He can be anyone except himself—because he’s forgotten who that person even was.
But honestly, if you want to understand why Clayface works, watch “Feat of Clay” from Batman: The Animated Series. It’s 44 minutes of perfect character development that explains why this “B-list” villain has endured for over 80 years.
What Makes Clayface Different From Other Batman Villains?
What separates Clayface from other shapeshifting villains in comics is the fundamental sadness at the character’s core. This isn’t Mystique, who uses her powers for political goals, or Martian Manhunter, who maintains his sense of self despite his abilities. Clayface is defined by loss—loss of identity, loss of purpose, loss of the very concept of a fixed self.
Every version of the character is ultimately about the same thing: what happens when the masks we wear become more real than the faces underneath. In a world of social media personas and carefully curated identities, that theme feels more relevant than ever.
The tragedy behind the terror is what makes Clayface more than just another monster-of-the-week. He’s a reflection of our deepest fears about authenticity, performance, and the price we pay for trying to be someone we’re not.
Why Does the Clayface Movie Matter for the DCU?
With the DCU film on the horizon and renewed interest in horror-tinged superhero stories, Clayface is positioned for a major renaissance. The character represents something unique in the superhero genre—a villain whose power isn’t just physically threatening but philosophically terrifying. In an age where identity is increasingly fluid and performance is increasingly important, Clayface feels less like a relic and more like a prophecy.
Whether Tom Rhys Harries can capture the tragic nobility that makes the character more than just a monster remains to be seen, but Mike Flanagan’s involvement suggests they understand that the real horror of Clayface isn’t what he can do to other people—it’s what he’s done to himself.
The upcoming Clayface movie represents DC Studios’ commitment to exploring different genres within the superhero framework. By starting with a horror film rather than a traditional origin story, the DCU is signaling that it’s willing to take creative risks and trust audiences to embrace complex, character-driven narratives.
The shape-shifting clay monster from 1940 has evolved into something much more complex: a mirror that reflects our deepest fears about authenticity, identity, and the price of fame. And when Clayface hits theaters September 11, 2026, audiences will finally get to see what happens when that mirror breaks completely.