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James Gunn never intended to greenlight a DC Universe movie centered around the Batman villain Clayface. Yet, that’s exactly what the DC Studios head did earlier this month, with Gunn recently explaining how the project came together.
Speaking with io9, Gunn revealed that Mike Flanagan’s Clayface has been in the works at DC Studios for a while now, even though the trades only learned of the project at the beginning of December. “I didn’t plan on making a Clayface movie,” Gunn admitted. “Mike came in. He pitched this wonderful idea. I was like, ‘Damn, I can’t believe you got me to want to make a Clayface movie.’ But he’s got to write the script and who knows how that’s going to work. He goes and he writes the script. First draft is great. Second draft is even better. And then I’m like, ‘Let’s do it.’ So we found a place for it because if there’s quality stuff, we can find a way to work it in.”
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I didn’t plan on making a Clayface movie.
Clayface is currently set to hit theaters in September 2026, one month before the DC Elseworlds movie, The Batman Part II, starring Robert Pattinson. When asked by io9 if he was slightly worried about opening two DC movies so close together that are both part of the Batman franchise, Gunn remarked, “Well, I mean, Clayface is in the DCU so it doesn’t matter.” This suggests that the marketing for both movies will likely alert the audience to the fact that these projects are not part of the same universe.
Additionally, it’s worth pointing out that Batman has not yet been confirmed to appear in Clayface, with his DCU debut still expected in the forthcoming solo movie, The Brave and the Bold. As for Clayface, his first DCU appearance will be in the adult animated series Creature Commandos, which is currently dropping new episodes weekly on Max.
Despite not having a completed screenplay yet, Matt Reeves recently confirmed to The Batman star Zoë Kravitz during their Directors on Directors series for Variety that The Batman Part II is still on track to begin filming in 2025. After Kravitz praised Reeves for being “incredibly meticulous” when it comes to expanding The Batman Epic Crime Saga, the filmmaker offered an explanation as to why the screenplay still isn’t completely finished. “It’s wonderful, except for the speed of getting something done,” Reeves said. “The thing is that for me, I feel like it’s not a choice. I always feel like I would never do it the way I’m doing it, except that that’s the only way I know how to do it.”
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Going back to the DCU’s Batman, The Flash helmer Andy Muschietti is slated to direct The Brave and the Bold, which will pull inspiration from writer Grant Morrison and artist Any Kubert’s run on DC Comics’ Batman, specifically their 2006 comic book story arc, “Batman and Son”, which focuses on Bruce Wayne learning that he has fathered a son, Damian, with Talia al Ghul, the daughter of his nemesis, Ra’s al Ghul.
While no writers have been announced yet, someone is working on a screenplay for The Brave and the Bold, as Gunn shared in November 2024 that he is not “totally happy” with the current draft of the script. “Until we have a screenplay that I’m totally happy with, that movie is not going to get made, no matter what it is,” he stated.
Clayface is scheduled to hit theaters on Sept. 11, 2026, as the third film in the DCU.
Source: io9
“}]] DC Studios head James Gunn reveals how Mike Flanagan was able to convince him to greenlight his Clayface movie for the DC Universe. Read More