Clayface is a breath of fresh air for anyone with superhero fatigue. Directed by James Watkins and starring Tom Rhys Harries as the Batman villain, the film hits cinemas across the UK on Friday, October 23.
A Horror Twist on a Familiar Villain
In 2026, superhero fatigue is understandable. The comic book genre has dominated Hollywood since Iron Man launched the MCU in 2008, delivering nearly two decades of superhero movies. Marvel and DC have provided many highlights, from Thanos snapping in Infinity War to Zack Snyder's Justice League hitting the big screen.
Despite Spider-Man: Brand New Day breaking box office records and giving Tom Holland his best outing as Spidey, excitement for the MCU's future is hard to muster. Avengers: Doomsday will likely be the biggest film of 2026, but the return of Robert Downey Jnr and Chris Evans seven years after their farewell may only excite die-hard fans.
DC's New Direction
DC has been taking big swings recently. In 2022, James Gunn and Peter Safran became co-chairmen and co-CEOs of DC Studios, ending the DCEU that began with the divisive Man of Steel in 2013 and ended with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom ten years later. Now called The DC Universe, last year's Superman, directed by Gunn, was a triumph, giving audiences the first version of Supes since Christopher Reeve that embodied hope.
This year has been mixed for the studio. Supergirl felt familiar and bombed at the box office, while Lanterns was a stellar show, the most watched on HBO since Game of Thrones' golden years.
A Wicked Tale of Transformation
Clayface tells the story of Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries), an actor on top of the world who has just landed his first Oscar nomination. In a dark and twisted scene, Matt's face is disfigured after a night with one of Gotham's top gangsters, played by David Dencik. Dropped by his talent agency, Matt is forced to live in a worse flat than the one in Trainspotting.
With everyone turning their back on him, Matt meets a scientist named Dr. Caitlyn Corr (Naomi Ackie). In a tribute to The Fly, Caitlyn begins experiments on Matt, and it isn't long until his body turns to clay and he begins to lose his sanity, unable to recognise himself.
The mix of practical and digital effects is tremendous, making the most of its 18 rating by the British Board of Film Classification. Clayface features strong bloody violence, gore, swearing, and nudity – this is not a family film.
Fresh Talent Shines
Harries, a Welsh native known for Unforgotten, Suspicion, and an episode of Doctor Who, is a revelation in the titular role. Balancing Matt's vulnerability and intimidating presence, he shows the importance of giving fresh stars a chance. Ackie, fresh off her winning performance in Mickey 17, further establishes why she's one of the UK's brighter talents, even though her character is a tad underwritten in places.
Clayface does struggle with fleshing out its supporting cast. Dencik's mob boss feels more like henchman #1 than a force to be reckoned with, Eddie struggles to hold an American accent as Matt's agent, and Max Minghella is often forgotten as Ackie's cop boyfriend.
At the end of the day, no one is going to see Clayface for anything other than the man whose name is on the title. There's plenty of body horror which would make even the biggest horror buff shudder. If this is the direction DC is going in, audiences are in for a treat – small-scale stories with characters you might not know unless you have a history with the comics or shows they've been portrayed in before. Maybe we don't need an eventual Justice League remake, but a romcom starring Mr. Freeze, a coming-of-age tale with Poison Ivy, or a new take on Over the Top starring Bane could be the way forward.
