EXCLUSIVE: One of the prime opening directing assignments in town right now is DC’s Clayface, which is rearing and ready to go with a screenplay by Mike Flanagan and a target theatrical release date of September 11, 2026. We hear that DC brass will be hearing pitches from potential filmmakers next week, with some of the key candidates being Truth or Dare‘s Jeff Waldow and Speak No Evil‘s James Watkins.
At the same time, there’s buzz out there that the casting process has begun. Once a filmmaker is attached, DC and said director will mull on the actors being assessed. Whoever is chosen as director will weigh in on the casting choices.
Producing Clayface are DC co-bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran as well as The Batman filmmaker Matt Reeves and Lynn Harris. Chantal Nong is executive producer. Doctor Sleep filmmaker Flanagan was never expected to be in a mix as director given his commitment to future projects that include Universal’s Exorcist reboot.
Clayface is rumored to be a horror-thriller-tragedy, with the lead protagonist not expected to be portrayed as the notorious villain he’s known as in the Batman canon.
DC Studios didn’t return request for comment.
Clayface is scheduled to open in the post-Labor Day genre calendar sweet spot where such big spooky blockbusters like the It and The Nun franchises launched as well as Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Clayface got his DC introduction as part of Detective Comics #40 in June 1940. The original Clayface was a moderately successful actor who adopted the identity of a character he’d portrayed in a horror pic after turning to crime. Clayface has a body seemingly made out of clay and has appeared over the years in various films, series, animated works, video games and other forms of media.
Stayed tuned to the Deadline Batman channel as Clayface further takes shape.
Wadlow is repped by UTA, Artists First and Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum Matlof and Fishman. Watkins is represented by United Agents and WME.