James Gunn’s DC Universe Is Starting to Take Shape. Tom Rhys Harries Shapeshifts Into Matt Hagen.
Like most millennials, my introduction to Clayface was through Batman: The Animated Series. It was a two-part episode: “Feat of Clay” Part I & II. The episode title card showed the Greek theatre masks, Thalia and Melpomene—“Comedy and Tragedy.” It was one of the series’ most cinematic episodes. I’m not going to pretend that, at nine years old, I knew the shape-shifting rogue was a mix of Basil Karlo from 1940 and Matt Hagen from 1961. But since the episode aired in 1992, he’s been in my top ten Batman villains.
Clayface (2026) mixes it all up in the same way. That’s because it serves as a unique anchor in the early history of James Gunn’s DC Universe. The R-rated body-horror film is set in Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. It’s also the franchise’s first entry released out of chronological order. Before Prime Video’s Carrie, Mike Flanagan co-wrote the screenplay. He developed the original story and pitch alongside Hossein Amini and Matt Reeves.
The story takes a dark step backward as a tragic prequel. It sets up Matt Hagen’s transformation before the events of Superman (2025). Batman is active in this gritty version of Gotham City. However, the film intentionally focuses only on Hagen’s psychological descent. This bold approach shows the studio’s commitment to tonal diversity. It establishes Clayface’s origins before he resurfaces in Creature Commandos.
So What’s This Clayface Movie About?
Movie star Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries) pursues monstrous vengeance after scientific ambition robs him of his identity and humanity. But this Matt Hagen isn’t a treasure hunter who stumbles into a hidden underwater grotto with a mysterious pool of radioactive protoplasm. He’s somewhat like the Matt Hagen from the 1992 animated series. But he doesn’t crave “Renuyu,” the addictive face cream pushed by corrupt businessman Roland Daggett.
The handsome, rising Hollywood star Hagen sleeps with Mia Torrez, played by Joana Ribeiro. But Mia is the girlfriend of Gotham City mob boss Markos Szabo (David Dencik). Szabo doesn’t kill Hagen in retaliation. Instead, he destroys Hagen’s livelihood by leaving his face horribly mutilated and disfigured. Desperate, Hagen turns to fringe science. He injects himself with microscopic AI nanobots created by Dr. Caitlyn Corr (Naomi Ackie). As the AI repairs his damaged skin, they won’t stop trying to fix Hagen’s shattered mind. Only revenge will do.
Wheel Working, Forming, and Joining the Clay
James Price handled production design for Gotham City. This R-rated horror film is the first live-action feature in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Studios universe to showcase its version of Gotham. It looks like a city made for Matt Hagen/Clayface. The design echoes the 1992 animated series, but everything feels modern and fresh. The supporting cast—Max Minghella as Detective John Borrell and Eddie Marsan as Frank Fitzpatrick—are great, too.
The CGI for the clay-monster Hagen doesn’t always fully work, even with the digital effects teams at Framestore and Red Visual Effects, plus the in-house VFX team led by Angus Bickerton. However, the practical prosthetics and creature work from Legacy FX are seriously cool. Nicole Stafford designed the prosthetic makeup. FX artists Dixie George and Adrian Rigby delivered great work on set.
The Verdict
The third act and final reveal feel like a tribute to Hollywood horror. Think The Fly (1986), The Blob (1988), and Basket Case (1982). Of course, it also calls back to the 1992 animated series’ tragic Matt Hagen origin episodes (“Feat of Clay”). Matt’s Thalia and Melpomene mask T-shirt is an all-types-of-sh*t Easter egg. Even though Clayface (2026) is officially part of James Gunn’s interconnected DC Universe, it works pretty well as a standalone body-horror story.
