DC Surprises UK Horror Fans With Early ‘Clayface’ Screenings

DC Studios is heading into Halloween season with its boldest experiment yet. ‘Clayface’ is an R-rated body horror film that takes the DC Universe into far darker territory than anything the studio has released so far, and it arrives with a surprisingly modest $40 million budget.

The film is the 3rd feature in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU, following ‘Superman’ and ‘Supergirl’. Directed by ‘Speak No Evil’ filmmaker James Watkins, it was written by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, with Gunn, Safran, ‘The Batman’ director Matt Reeves and Lynn Harris among the producers.

Now, DC Studios is taking an unusually confident approach to building buzz. According to box office analyst Luiz Fernando, audiences attending surprise horror screenings in the U.K. on the evening of October 19 were treated to early showings of ‘Clayface’ without knowing what they were about to see.

The strategy is designed to generate a fresh wave of positive word of mouth ahead of the film’s official debut on Friday. Fernando described it as the studio taking the idea of letting the movie speak for itself to the limit.

Welsh actor Tom Rhys Harries stars as Matt Hagen, a Gotham street kid whose meteoric rise to Hollywood leading man is cut short when a local crime boss leaves him horribly disfigured. Naomi Ackie plays the scientist he turns to for help.

#DCStudios literally taking the “let the movie speak for itself” to the limit, as audiences attending surprise horror screenings TONIGHT in the U.K. will be surprised with early screenings of body horror #Clayface. Extremely confident, the studio aims for a new wave of positive WOM ahead of its official debut on FRI.
— Luiz Fernando (@Luiz_Fernando_J) October 19, 2026

The supporting cast includes David Dencik, Max Minghella and Eddie Marsan. Harries landed the role after a long search, with Gunn and Reeves both reportedly blown away by his audition.

The film premiered at Hollywood’s Legion Theater on October 13, and early social media reactions have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Many viewers praised its graphic body horror, Harries’ performance, and the film’s willingness to push the DCU in a darker direction.

Film critic Peter Gray noted that the movie keeps a comic book flair without diminishing how brutal it is. YouTuber Brandon Davis called it freakishly awesome and praised Watkins for getting creative with Clayface’s abilities. Not every early verdict has been positive, though. ComicBookMovie praised Harries but called the film tame and unoriginal, comparing it unfavorably to Sony’s ‘Morbius’.

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

Some observers are approaching the buzz cautiously. Forbes noted that ‘Supergirl’ also received mostly positive early reactions earlier this year, which is part of why the U.K. surprise screenings could prove valuable in winning over regular audiences directly.

Full critics’ reviews remain under embargo until October 21. That timing means the surprise screenings could help shape public conversation before professional reviews arrive.

Box office forecasts are mixed. Some newer tracking points toward an opening above $30 million, while other projections sit lower at $20 million to $26 million. Either way, the modest budget gives ‘Clayface’ a strong chance at profitability. Releasing just before Halloween also positions it well to capture audiences looking for a scary night at the movies.

Flanagan had long expressed interest in a standalone ‘Clayface’ horror film before pitching it to DC Studios in March 2023. The project was originally set for September 11 before Warner Bros. moved it to October 23.

New posters for DC’s ‘CLAYFACE’. In theaters on October 23. https://t.co/2DA3HTeKUQ
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 7, 2026

Running 108 minutes, the film was shot at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in England. Its international rollout begins on October 21, with U.K. and North American theaters opening on October 23.

DC’s decision to quietly screen ‘Clayface’ for unsuspecting horror fans signals real faith in the film. If audiences walk out talking, the studio could have a breakout Halloween hit and a new blueprint for genre filmmaking within the DCU.