‘Clayface’ Final Trailer Pulls DC Into Full Body-Horror Territory

DC Studios is taking its biggest creative swing yet this fall, and ‘Clayface’ is leading the charge into horror. The standalone Gotham City film marks DC Studios’ first-ever horror thriller, with Warner Bros. set to release the R-rated project in theaters worldwide this October.

The film comes with serious genre credentials. It’s directed by James Watkins, the filmmaker behind ‘Eden Lake’, ‘The Woman in Black’, and the ‘Speak No Evil’ remake, from a screenplay by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini based on a story by Flanagan. DC first teased Tom Rhys Harries’ villain at CinemaCon before debuting the official trailer on July 22, ahead of Comic-Con.

Now audiences have one last look before opening night. On September 24, Warner Bros. and DC Studios released the final trailer for ‘Clayface’, confirming the film hits theaters on October 23.

FirstShowing described the trailer as a creepy body horror story about an up-and-coming actor whose face is disfigured by a gangster, while Fangoria called it skin-crawling. The footage also features a haunting line in which someone tells Matt they no longer know who he is.

The final trailer for DC’s ‘CLAYFACE’ has been released. In theaters on October 23. https://t.co/ecTMB97Sto
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 24, 2026

Harries, who was cast in June 2025, plays Matt Hagen. The official synopsis follows Matt’s rise from Gotham street kid to Hollywood leading man until a local crime boss leaves him horribly disfigured. Abandoned by his team, he seeks out a cutting-edge treatment that restores his looks but loosens his grip on reality, sending him down a path of all-consuming revenge.

First Showing noted that the story explores the loss of identity and humanity, corrosive love, and the dark underbelly of scientific ambition. It’s a tragic, character-driven approach that fits neatly with the horror-first vision behind the project.

Just Jared pointed out that Clayface has been portrayed by several characters in DC Comics, with Basil Karlo and Matt Hagen among the best known. This film is clearly focused on Hagen, giving the character a fresh origin rooted in fame and loss.

Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, and Eddie Marsan co-star, along with Nancy Carroll and Joshua James. Behind the scenes, Rob Hardy handles cinematography, Jon Harris edits, and Volker Bertelmann composes the score.

Watch the first trailer for #Clayface.

The new DC horror film is in theaters October 23. pic.twitter.com/gqrrtJSou5
— Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 (@RottenTomatoes) April 22, 2026

The film is produced by Matt Reeves, Lynn Harris, James Gunn, and Peter Safran, and it was made on a budget of approximately $40 million. That relatively lean price tag could work in its favor at the box office.

Gunn has been open about the fact that the film wasn’t originally part of his plans. JoBlo reported that the DC Studios co-chief never intended to make a Clayface movie, but Flanagan’s pitch and increasingly strong drafts won him over, and the studio found a place for it on the slate.

That confidence will soon be tested. Earlier tracking reported by Dark Horizons placed the film’s opening near $23.5 million, putting it in a crowded October alongside titles like ‘Street Fighter’ and Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger’.