clayface
By James Brizuela
Contributing Writer
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Fans have steadily been waiting to see what the DCU holds for one of the biggest fan-favorite villains, Clayface, who is getting his own horror-themed spinoff. Unfortunately, the world will have to wait longer for this spinoff, as it has been officially delayed.
The "Batman" universe has been built out in a unique way, as Matt Reeves' "The Batman" became an instant hit. Following the release of the first chapter of this new presumed trilogy, the DCU was then created with James Gunn at the helm.
Gunn revealed he would be working on his own version of the Caped Crusader, revealing "The Brave and the Bold." This completely separate "Batman" movie is set to release at a later date and will follow an older Bruce Wayne and his son, Damian Wayne. To add to the already planned DCU Batman, which is removed from Reeves' universe, a horror spinoff surrounding the villainous Clayface was announced.
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This horror take was penned by Mike Flanagan of "Doctor Sleep" fame and will be directed by James Watkins from "Speak No Evil." The DCU Batman spinoff is said to take the character in a brand-new direction. It has been described as a body horror journey, with Tom Rhys Harries set to star as Matt Hagen. Naomie Ackie also joins the cast as a scientist who attempts to help Hagen.
While there is some excitement for what this "Clayface" film can possibly present and be extended to in the DCU, it has been delayed. Per Variety, the release date has been pushed from Sep. 11 to Oct. 23. The reasoning behind it has been due to the "Practical Magic 2" sequel releasing, which is a presumed bigger draw with Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock both returning.
The good news is the DCU will still move forward with "Clayface," and it hs only facing a little over a month delay until it is released in theaters.
In the comics and "Batman: The Animated Series," Clayface has been portrayed by many characters from the original Basil Karlo to Hagen and Preston Payne. Though all have differing origins, the most well-known story comes from Hagen.
In the "Batman: The Animated Series," Hagen uses a makeup compound called Renuyu from Roland Daggert. The compound allows him to change his face so he can take on new personas and commit crimes. When Hagen crosses Daggert, his goons force-feed a ton of the Renuyu compound to Hagen, transforming him into the shape-shifting monster known as Clayface.
Doing this kind of villain on the big screen might be difficult to pull off, but it makes sense that it is being called a "body horror."
What will be most interesting is how this version of Clayface moves further into the DCU. Gunn approved the script and direction of the film, so it would be believed that this version will be tied into and potentially appear at other junctures in the universe.
If "Clayface" becomes a hit, the movie can then be tied into "The Brave and the Bold" and other DCU properties that would warrant the villain to appear. The only issue is that the spinoff has been pushed into October, but it could be the perfect time for people to want to see a body horror in theaters.
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