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

James Gunn and Peter Safran, co-CEOs of DC Studios, have confirmed that the upcoming Clayface film is officially part of the DC Universe (DCU) and will receive an R rating.

Clayface, a long-time Batman adversary, is a Gotham City criminal with the ability to alter his clay-like body into any form. The character's first iteration, Basil Karlo, debuted in Detective Comics #40 (1940). DC Studios announced a September 11, 2026, release date for the Clayface movie last month, a decision reportedly influenced by the success of HBO's The Penguin series. Horror director Mike Flanagan penned the script, with Lynn Harris producing alongside The Batman director Matt Reeves.

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During a DC Studios presentation to IGN, Gunn and Safran explained Clayface's inclusion in the DCU, differentiating it from Matt Reeves' The Batman Epic Crime Saga. Gunn confirmed, "Clayface is totally DCU." Safran clarified, "The only thing that's in Matt's world...is the Batman Trilogy, the Penguin series...still under DC Studios, but those are the only things. We have an incredible relationship with Matt, but those are the only things."

The decision to place Clayface within the DCU was deliberate. "It was important that Clayface be part of the DCU. It's an origin story for a classic Batman villain that we want to have in our world," Gunn explained. He further noted that Clayface's tone wouldn't suit Reeves' more grounded approach: "It was very outside of the grounded non-super metahuman characters in Matt's world."

DC Studios is reportedly finalizing negotiations with James Watkins (Speak No Evil) to direct. Production is slated to begin this summer. Safran described Clayface as "an incredible body horror film that reveals a compelling origin of a classic Batman villain," adding that it's "another title that we added to the slate on the strength of an exceptional screenplay by Mike Flanagan." He anticipates casting once the director is confirmed.

Safran characterized Clayface as "experimental," an "indie style chiller," diverging from typical superhero fare. Gunn described it as "pure f***ing horror, like, totally real. Their version of that movie, it is so real and true and psychological and body horror and gross." He confirmed the R rating, adding, "I think that one of the things Peter and I talked about when we first got the script is if we were producing movies five years ago…somebody had brought us this horror script called Clayface…we would have died to have produced this movie, because it was just a really excellent body horror script, and the fact that it's in the DCU is just a plus.”