DC’s upcoming Clayface isn’t just about how Matt Hagen becomes one of Batman’s most disturbing enemies. The horror film will also give audiences an early look at Gotham City in the new DC Universe, long before the next big-screen Batman story arrives. Director James Watkins is taking on the character’s transformation, but the film will have another job to do: help establish the version of Gotham that will eventually appear in The Brave and the Bold.
Speaking to IGN, DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran explained that the Gotham seen in Clayface will help establish the city’s overall look and feel for the wider DCU. That doesn’t mean every filmmaker who comes along afterward has to copy Watkins’ version exactly, though. Whoever directs The Brave and the Bold will have room to put their own stamp on the city, while still making it feel like the same Gotham audiences have already seen. It’s an interesting way to introduce Batman’s home without necessarily putting Batman himself at the center of the story. Instead of starting with Bruce Wayne, Clayface will explore Gotham through Matt Hagen’s much darker, more disturbing experience. And since this is a horror movie rather than a typical superhero adventure, the city could end up looking a little different from what audiences might expect.
What Will Gotham City Look Like in Clayface and The Brave and the Bold?
Safran described Gotham as a much grittier and more dangerous place than other parts of the DCU, including Coast City. But he doesn’t see it as a city made up entirely of dark alleys and rundown buildings. Gotham has a grander side, too, with imposing architecture, wealthy neighborhoods and the kind of Beaux-Arts buildings that give parts of the city an almost old-world elegance. According to Safran, Watkins brought those different sides together in Clayface. The city can look beautiful and imposing in one moment, then feel rotten and threatening just around the corner. That contrast between wealth and decay has always been a big part of Gotham’s identity, and it should give future Batman films plenty to work with.
The movie stars Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, whose tragic transformation turns him into the shape-shifting villain Clayface. It’s being developed as a full-on horror film aimed at a mature audience, which already sets it apart from the more familiar superhero stories in the DCU. Rather than simply introducing another villain for Batman to fight, the film gets to explore what happens to Hagen and the world around him in a much more unsettling way.
Will Batman Appear in Clayface?
That’s one question the film hasn’t answered yet. Harries has previously suggested that conversations took place during production about Batman potentially appearing, and footage connected to that possibility was filmed. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the Dark Knight will show up in the finished movie. It’s still unclear whether the footage made the theatrical cut or whether it involved an actor playing Bruce Wayne at all. For now, it’s best not to assume that Clayface will feature a Batman cameo. The movie can establish Gotham and connect to the wider DCU without bringing its most famous resident into the story. In fact, keeping the focus on Hagen could help the film stand on its own rather than making it feel like a long setup for another project.
Meanwhile, The Brave and the Bold is still in development, with Andy Muschietti attached to direct. The film was initially announced as a Batman story involving his son, Damian Wayne, but James Gunn has since confirmed that the creative direction has changed from what was outlined in the DCU’s original 2023 plans. Specific plot details remain under wraps, so there’s still plenty we don’t know about this version of Batman.
Clayface Could Give the New DCU Batman a Different Kind of Gotham
Even if the two films don’t share a major plot connection, Clayface could end up being an important part of how the DCU builds its version of Gotham. Establishing the city’s architecture, atmosphere and sharp divide between its wealth and its darker corners gives future filmmakers something to build on, without forcing them to recreate every detail. That’s the balance Safran seems to be aiming for: Gotham should feel familiar from one project to the next, but each director should still be able to bring something different to it. Watkins gets to explore the city through a horror story, while The Brave and the Bold will eventually offer its own take on Batman and his world.
Whether Clayface includes a direct link to the upcoming Batman film remains to be seen. But the city itself is already part of the connection. By the time the new Dark Knight arrives, audiences may have a much clearer idea of the place he calls home—and the kind of darkness waiting for him there.