DC Studios will be segueing into body horror, as shown in the official trailer for upcoming comic book film Clayface.
Released Wednesday (July 22), the James Watkins-directed flick introduces Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, an actor whose face is left horribly disfigured after an assault. Helping him accept his grief is a healthcare specialist, played by Naomi Ackie.
Hagen soon undergoes treatment to mend his face, although it briefly goes awry before he has a quick recovery. “I have no idea what side effects you’ll have or how to treat them,” Ackie’s character of Dr. Caitlin Corr tells the protagonist.
The peak of the trailer comes when Hagen is on a flight and his eyelids shift by fusing together. He rushes to the bathroom during turbulence and prepares himself to cut open his eyelid as the trailer cuts to a less-gruesome scene.
Peter Safran, co-CEO of DC Studios, confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that pursuing Clayface was partly due to the popularity resurgence of horror movies, calling it “one of the most reliable and popular genres with moviegoers.”
“It leans into horror and psychological thriller in a way that definitely differentiates it from more traditional superhero entries, while still being anchored in what I would say is a recognizable character,” Safran added.
Clayface is cemented within the Gotham universe, positioned between the 2022 film The Batman and its 2028 sequel The Batman Part II, both starring Robert Pattinson. It also arrives as DC's first R-rated theatrical release under the new DCU banner. Clayface hits theaters October 23.
