Matt Hagen’s Gruesome Transformation Revealed in Eerie 'Clayface' Teaser

DC Studios has officially pulled back the curtain on the first teaser for Clayface, signaling a gruesome pivot for James Gunn’s new DC Universe into the world of R-rated body horror. This standalone Batman spin-off trades traditional superhero action for a character-driven thriller aesthetic, leaning heavily into the macabre origins of one of Gotham's most tragic villains.

Directed by James Watkins and co-written by horror maestro Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House) alongside Hossein Amini, the film stars Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen. The teaser introduces Hagen as a struggling actor whose life takes a terrifying turn following a brutal disfigurement. The footage captures his descent into a literal nightmare, showing a bloodied Hagen mutating into a malleable, monstrous form after exposure to experimental chemicals.

The visual effects are "nightmare fuel" in the truest sense. Highlights from the trailer include a visceral sequence in which Hagen wipes away his own facial features and reshapes his limbs into lethal, mace-like weapons fans recognize from the comics. Supported by a cast including Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, and David Dencik, Clayface is set to be a boundary-pushing entry in the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters slate.

Clayface is scheduled to arrive in theaters on October 23.