James Gunn Urges Fans to See Dcu’s Clayface as Sequel Talk Builds
WHO:
The Hollywood Reporter - Director James Watkins said James Gunn and Peter Safran gave him time and support after his father, Dr. George Watkins CBE, died suddenly during post-production.
The Hollywood Reporter - Actor Tom Rhys Harries filmed *Clayface* while concealing a torn ACL; the injury became known during filming of a scene in which Matt Hagen is hit by a car.
Screen Rant - Matt Hagen is the DCU character whose future is discussed in connection with *Clayface*.
Coming Soon - James Gunn, identified as DC Studios’ CEO, shared a message about *Clayface*.
Coming Soon - Tom Rhys Harries performs in *Clayface*; Gunn praised his emotional performance.
WHAT:
The Hollywood Reporter - *Clayface* opened with $46.5 million worldwide, exceeding its $44 million production budget; it received a 75 percent critics score, a 94 percent verified-moviegoer score on Rotten Tomatoes, and an A- CinemaScore.
The Hollywood Reporter - Watkins said the film includes two props from Tim Burton’s *Batman* (1989): the Joker’s coffee table and the barber-style chair used in Jack Napier’s botched surgery.
The Hollywood Reporter - Watkins said Aaron Paul appeared briefly as Matt Hagen’s father, Jimmy One-Nut.
Screen Rant - *Clayface* is described as a body-horror thriller, and the article raises the question of what comes next for Matt Hagen in the DCU.
Coming Soon - Gunn’s message celebrated Clayface’s comic-book history and praised Harries’ performance.
Coming Soon - Gunn shared a photo of himself holding a graded copy of *Detective Comics* #298.
Coming Soon - The article says the post marked the anniversary of Matt Hagen’s comic-book debut.
WHERE:
Screen Rant - The story concerns the DCU.
WHEN:
Coming Soon - The graded copy shown was the December 1961 issue of *Detective Comics* #298.
WHY:
Coming Soon - Gunn’s post celebrated Clayface’s comic-book history and highlighted Harries’ performance.
HOW:
The Hollywood Reporter - Watkins said the nightclub sequence was planned and storyboarded to capture as much of Matt’s shapeshifting as possible in camera.
(UPDATED October 27, 2026 08:06 UTC)
Clayface* opened to $46.5 million worldwide, topping its $44 million production budget, and earned an A-minus CinemaScore. Director James Watkins said James Gunn and Peter Safran supported him after his father died during post-production, while actor Tom Rhys Harries filmed with a torn ACL that came to light during a scene where Matt Hagen is hit by a car. Gunn praised Harries’ emotional performance and celebrated the character’s comic-book history, as Watkins noted the film’s *Batman* props, Aaron Paul’s brief appearance, and efforts to capture Matt’s shapeshifting in camera.
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(UPDATED October 27, 2026 01:32 UTC)
James Gunn celebrated Clayface’s comic-book history with a photo of himself holding a graded copy of *Detective Comics* #298, the issue that marked Matt Hagen’s debut. The DC Studios CEO also praised Tom Rhys Harries’ emotional performance in *Clayface*, a body-horror thriller. The film raises questions about what comes next for Matt Hagen in the DCU.