James Gunn on Clayface: Why DC Is Betting on a True Horror Film

DC Studios is not treating Clayface as another comic-book entry. According to co-chief James Gunn, the Batman villain’s upcoming standalone film is being made as an actual horror movie inside the DCU. Directed by James Watkins, written by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, and starring Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, the film follows a Hollywood actor whose life takes a dark turn. Warner Bros. Pictures releases Clayface on October 23.

The pitch that started it all

Gunn said the project was never part of a fixed character list. When DC Studios took over, the obvious priorities were Superman and Batman films. Clayface was not on the board. Then Mike Flanagan came in with an idea he had been thinking about for years.

The pitch was strong enough that the studio paid for a screenplay. Gunn said the script ended up better than the pitch, so the decision became easy: make a movie that fans can love even when general audiences do not know the character well.

“If a screenplay is great, we’re going to find a way to make that movie.” — James Gunn

“It is… a true horror film… but within the DCU,” Gunn said. He pointed to John Carpenter and David Cronenberg as reference points for the horror he grew up loving.

One slate, many tones

Gunn wants each DC Studios project to feel distinct, not like it was run through the same template. He listed how the current projects differ:

• Creature Commandos is an animated series.
• Superman and Supergirl follow their own big-screen routes.
• Lanterns and Peacemaker operate in separate registers.

Flanagan’s connection to the character is also important. Gunn said the writer was inspired by a Clayface storyline in Batman: The Animated Series, not by the comics. For Gunn, that is a feature of the brand: DC spans comics, films, television, animation and games, so creators can draw inspiration from any version.

Why a horror Clayface matters

Gunn has directed or produced horror before, including Slither and The Belko Experiment, and he speaks warmly about horror sets and horror fans. He says the genre brings a different energy: intense while the cameras roll, often funny between takes.

Since DC Studios launched, the focus has been on giving each title its own voice. Gunn says this is not about putting a James Gunn tone on every show. Different writers and directors should bring their own visual and narrative style, the way graphic novels like Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns did in print. That spirit, he says, is what the studio expects from directors.

For DC, Clayface is a test. If a well-liked but lesser-known villain can anchor a true horror film, the studio can keep making individual stories rather than forcing every character into one identical superhero mould. For audiences, it makes the October 23 release one to watch as both a Batman story and a standalone horror ride.

Source: Filmfare

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