‘Clayface’ Lands a Rare CinemaScore Win as DC’s Body Horror Gamble Wins Over Audiences
DC Studios knew ‘Clayface’ was a risky proposition from the start. The R-rated body horror film stars Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, whose rise from Gotham street kid to Hollywood leading man is cut short when a crime boss leaves him horribly disfigured. A cutting-edge treatment restores his face but loosens his grip on reality, sending him down a path of all-consuming revenge.
The commercial outlook was shaky going in. Presales were at one point pacing roughly 80% behind ‘Supergirl’, and some tracking slipped to a $15 million to $20 million opening after earlier projections sat at $23 million to $33 million. Critics were also more measured, with the film landing a Certified Fresh 76% on Rotten Tomatoes and a mixed 59 on Metacritic.
Now the people who matter most at the box office have spoken. ‘Clayface’ earned a solid A- CinemaScore, a grade described as extremely rare for an R-rated horror movie. It’s also the DCU’s first R-rated body horror film.
The result puts DC’s smallest swing in surprisingly lofty company. That grade is on par with the CinemaScores for ‘Superman’, ‘The Batman’, ‘Aquaman’ and ‘Man of Steel’. As film commentator Luiz Fernando pointed out on X, it trails only ‘Wonder Woman’ and ‘Shazam!’ among DC films, both of which earned an A.
The final trailer for DC’s ‘CLAYFACE’ has been released. In theaters on October 23. https://t.co/ecTMB97Sto
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 24, 2026
The milestone even caught some critics off guard. One reviewer who gave the film a middling 6 out of 10 noted the A- arrived while their review was still being written, suggesting some audiences liked it more than the original ‘Joker’.
The CinemaScore is the latest sign that moviegoers are embracing what critics only partly warmed to. The film’s Rotten Tomatoes audience score sits at 94%, tying it with ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘Batman Begins’ as the highest audience-rated DC movie on the aggregator. Even the $1 billion-grossing ‘Joker’ only reached 89% with audiences.
New posters for DC’s ‘CLAYFACE’. In theaters on October 23. https://t.co/2DA3HTeKUQ
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 7, 2026
There are a few caveats worth noting. CinemaScore polls opening-night crowds in major markets, while Rotten Tomatoes collects ratings over time and can be influenced by early, enthusiastic fans. Still, both measures point in the same direction.
Ahead of the weekend, analysts had flagged the CinemaScore as a key indicator. One outlet argued that a B or better on an R-rated body horror film would say more about its next 3 weekends than any forecast. An A- comfortably clears that bar.
The stakes for word of mouth are high. Tracking showed relatively few people knew about ‘Clayface’, though those who did were far more eager than usual to see it opening weekend. Analysts have said the film needs good buzz to reach casual audiences unfamiliar with the character.
Luckily, the math is forgiving. ‘Clayface’ cost a reported $44 million, a fraction of ‘Supergirl’, which carried a $170 million budget and finished its worldwide run with $126.4 million. The film pulled in $3.5 million from Thursday previews, with Deadline projecting a $20 million to $25 million opening.
The release also serves as a test of whether DC’s smaller, riskier projects can thrive alongside its tentpoles. Arriving 2 days before the Halloween weekend gives it a natural audience of genre fans in a year when horror has been thriving.
If audiences keep spreading the word, ‘Clayface’ could become proof that a villain-led horror film can work in a superhero universe. For now, opening-night crowds have given DC a reason to smile.
Do you think Clayface can become a breakout hit for DC Studios thanks to its strong audience reactions?
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