Liputan6.com, Jakarta - DC Studios, the production house behind the DC Universe (DCU), has just thrilled fans by releasing the first trailer for their first horror film, the Clayface movie, set for April 2026.
The trailer provides a chilling glimpse into the origins of shape-shifting Batman villain Matt Hagen, played by Tom Rhys Harries.
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The film is scheduled to hit theaters on October 23, 2026, just in time for Halloween, after being previously pushed back from its scheduled release date of September 11, 2026.
The Clayface movie will be part of DCU Chapter One: "Gods and Monsters," marking a bold new direction for DC Studios exploring the horror genre.
Directed by James Watkins, known for horror works like "Speak No Evil" and "The Woman in Black."
Unveiling the Horror from Clayface Trailer
The first trailer for the Clayface movie firmly confirms that the film will be an R-rated body horror film filled with gory elements.
DC Studios appears to be fully embracing the horror genre with this project, which is described as a darker, R-rated version of its source material.
Some critics have even compared the film to David Cronenberg's "The Fly," hinting at the level of visual horror it will present.
The trailer's eerie soundtrack is a modified version of The Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize?", adding to the eerie atmosphere.
Visually, the trailer features a series of images of rising Hollywood actor Matt Hagen before and after a violent incident.
The camera slowly zooms in on Hagen's haunted eyes and his bloodied, bandaged face as he recovers in a hospital bed, conveying a sense of profound trauma.
Matt Hagen's Transformation
The Clayface movie trailer also shows Hagen's clay-like, malleable face, a power he apparently acquired after some kind of scientific procedure.
The scenes are interspersed with flashbacks that help establish the backstory: Matt smiling on the red carpet, then being attacked and scarred, and then undergoing a treatment that transforms him.
The trailer effectively depicts Matt's trauma, how he became disfigured, and how he ultimately gained his terrifying powers.
There are also several glimpses of the DCU's Gotham City, which marks its debut in the film, with dark alleys and neon lights creating a fitting atmosphere.
DC Studios also released the official synopsis for the Clayface movie, explaining how the project "explores one man's terrifying decline from rising Hollywood star to vengeful monster in a story that explores the loss of identity and humanity, the corrosiveness of love, and the dark side of scientific ambition."
Cast and Release Date
The cast is also promising, with Tom Rhys Harries playing Matt Hagen/Clayface, a Hollywood actor whose face is disfigured and subsequently transformed into a clay monster.
Naomi Ackie reportedly plays a scientist whom Hagen seeks help after his disfigurement.
The film also stars David Dencik, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, Nancy Carroll, and Joshua James.
The Clayface movie is scheduled for release on October 23, 2026, making it a must-see during the Halloween season.
Originally slated for a September 11, 2026, release date was pushed back to align with the Halloween season.
Filming took place from late August to early November 2025 in Liverpool and at Warner Bros. Leavesden Studios in the UK.