James Watkins comes on board to direct DC's 'Clayface'

The feature is based on the Batman villain, which has a script from horror maestro Mike Flanagan, as per The Hollywood Reporter.

Sources said that DC co-chief James Gunn met with Watkins Thursday for a final presentation that led to the nod of nabbing the gig. A deal will now be hammered out.

Clayface was first introduced in 1940 and known for his ability to shape-shift. Sources say the film is budgeted at $40 million and is a Hollywood horror tale centering on a B-movie actor who injects himself with a substance to keep himself relevant, only to find out that he can reshape his face and form, becoming a walking piece of clay. The movie is due to shoot later this year and is meant to show the breadth of DC material, from big-budget superhero fare such as Superman on one side of the spectrum to lesser known characters in projects that are more modestly budgeted.

The Batman director Matt Reeves will produce Clayface, along with Lynn Harris and DC Studios bosses Gunn and Safran. The film is scheduled to be released on September 11, 2026.

There is yet no casting for the film, though Gunn and Safran have said actors who work in animation on DC Studios projects will play the character in live-action as well. Alan Tudyk voices Clayface in the animated series Harley Quinn and Creature Commandos. Ron Perlman previously voiced him in animated projects Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures. Brian McManamon played the villain on Gotham, while Lorraine Burroughs played Clayface on Pennyworth. (ANI)