Clayface Trailer Unleashes A Terrifying New Character Upon The DC Universe

Stop your Supergirls and turn off your Lanterns. The most interesting character from the DC Universe getting their own new story could be Matt Hagen, aka Clayface (Tom Rhys Harries), who just made his debut in a brand-new and undeniably gross trailer. Be warned: those of you who are somewhat squeamish and prefer to avoid body horror might want to look away now.

Directed by horror aficionado James Watkins ("Eden Lake," "Speak No Evil"), the new film — from a script penned by Mike Flanagan ("Midnight Mass," "The Haunting of Hill House") and Hossein Amini — will shine a light on one of Batman's longtime foes and how he came to be. Almost akin to the Joaquin Phoenix-starring "Joker," "Clayface" is an origin story introducing us to Hagen, an aspiring actor whose life is changed forever when a gangster's attack leaves him permanently disfigured.

In an effort to address the matter, Hagen turns to science, transforming himself into clay and giving himself the ability to alter his appearance. Unfortunately, this isn't a simple process, as the preview clearly indicates, harking back to some of the classics of yesteryear and getting us even more excited for what's in store.

Sparking memories of "The Dark Knight" and Aaron Eckhart's bandaged-up Harvey Dent, it's clear that Hagen has had a much more horrific experience, as we see him bandaged up in bed. Things take a turn for the worse, though, when the star who's lost his shine gets pumped full of chemicals, turning him into the monstrous villain we know he'll become.

From there, it's a flurry of brilliantly creative and creepy shots that show Hagen at one point in a bath, quite literally washing his face away, and at times missing key facial features as he handles his new powers. One shot that will especially get comic book fans giddy is a silhouette of Hagen using his signature move, turning his fist into a mace. Look, a guy can change, okay?

Landing somewhere between "Darkman" and "The Fly," "Clayface" appears to be setting up a tragic tale, not unlike the aforementioned Oscar-winning movie that gave us a different Clown Prince of Crime, without a Caped Crusader to stop him. Unlike that movie, however, the misfortune of Hagen and his inevitable loss of humanity have appeared in plenty of comics over the years. The question is whether Watkins, with the help of Flanagan and Amini, will paint Hagen as a misunderstood monster or an outright villain. We'll have to see when Harries, along with Naomie Ackie ("Mickey 17") and Max Minghella ("The Handmaid's Tale"), bring "Clayface" to life on October 23, 2026