Clayface keeps picking up heat at DC. After a reportedly barnstorming pitch and script from Mike Flanagan, James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Studios has run forward to make the Batman rogue one of the first big stars of the new DC universe–and now we know who’s going to be playing him.
Deadline reports that Tom Rhys Harries has been cast in the title role in what will now be the third major film out of the rebooted DC universe after Superman and Supergirl (formerly titled Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow). The film, directed by Speak No Evil‘s James Watkins, is based off of an initial script from Life of Chuck and Fall of the House of Usher‘s Mike Flanagan, the purported high quality of which pushed Clayface to a top priority for DC Studios. Newer drafts of the script have been worked on by Drive‘s Hossein Amini.
Deadline reports that Harries won the role out of a final shortlist that also included Kack O’Connell (set to appear in 28 Years Later), Hunger Games prequel start Tom Blyth, 1917 alum George MacKay, and White Lotus season 2 breakout Leo Woodall.
Little is known about just which version of Clayface will feature in the film–eight characters have taken on the mantle in some capacity since Bill Finger and Bob Kane originated the character in 1940’s Detective Comics #40–but Flanangan did recently confirm that his original script was heavily inspired by the character’s appearance in the classic Batman: The Animated Series two-parter “Feet of Clay”. That story used the second incarnation of Clayface from the comics, Matt Hagen, but gave him an origin inspired by the original Clayface, Basil Karlo–as a B-List actor disgfigured in a car accident who is transformed into the shapeshifting golem by an experimental cosmetics serum called “Renuyu”.
After a long and incredibly exhaustive search, we finally have our DCU Clayface in Tom Rhys Harries. Both Matt Reeves and I were just blown away by this guy, and can’t wait for you to see this film, directed by James Watkins and written by Mike Flanagan. https://t.co/EkYFYUvmdA
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) June 17, 2025
“After a long and incredibly exhaustive search, we finally have our DCU Clayface in Tom Rhys Harries,” James Gunn said in a statement shared on social media, today. “Both Matt Reeves and I were just blown away by this guy, and can’t wait for you to see this film, directed by James Watkins and written by Mike Flanagan.”
Clayface is expected to be the third movie released in the DC Studios slate, sometime after Supergirl, which is currently slotted for a June 26, 2026 release date. Clayface is currently expected to release September 11, 2026.
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