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Clayface (2026)
By The Trends Incoming team
DC's hard-R body horror movie opens Friday, Oct 23. Tom Rhys Harries plays Matt Hagen, an actor turned into living clay. Cast, director, early reactions and box office tracking.
What's trending in Clayface (2026)
Clayface hits theaters Friday
DC's hard-R body horror stars Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, an actor turned into living clay. First reactions call it "freakishly awesome," and tracking points to a $25 million to $30 million opening on a reported $40 million budget.
The quick version
Clayface, the DC Studios horror movie about the classic Batman villain, opens in U.S. theaters Friday, October 23, 2026 from Warner Bros. Tom Rhys Harries plays Matt Hagen, an actor whose face is disfigured by a mob boss, who volunteers for an experiment that turns his body into living clay. The first reactions on October 14 called it "freakishly awesome" and a hard R.
| Release | Fri Oct 23, 2026, U.S. theaters (Warner Bros.) |
|---|---|
| Director | James Watkins (Speak No Evil) |
| Writers | Story by Mike Flanagan; screenplay by Flanagan and Hossein Amini |
| Cast | Tom Rhys Harries, Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan |
| Producers | Matt Reeves, James Gunn, Peter Safran |
| Tone | Body horror; early reactions call it a hard R |
| Reported budget | About $40 million (ComicBasics) |
| Opening forecast | About $25M to $30M (Page Six); Box Office Theory projects $35M to $71M over four weeks |
Who is Clayface?
Clayface is one of Batman's oldest villains. The first version, actor Basil Karlo, appeared in 1940, and the shape-shifting Matt Hagen version debuted in Detective Comics in 1961. This movie goes with Hagen: a performer who loses his face, then loses himself, which is why critics keep comparing it to body-horror hits like The Substance.
What early viewers said
Collider's Steven Weintraub said it "doesn't require any knowledge of DC to enjoy" and is "loaded with brutal scenes." Others praised Harries's performance and the mix of horror and gothic romance. A few called parts of it silly. Translation: if you like gory, ambitious horror, this is your Friday night. If you're squeamish, maybe not.
Early reactions are from screenings, not full reviews. Check the official rating on your theater listing before bringing teens.
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Follow the conversation
Quick answers
When does Clayface come out?
Friday, October 23, 2026, in U.S. theaters from Warner Bros.
Who plays Clayface?
Tom Rhys Harries plays Matt Hagen, the actor who becomes Clayface. Naomi Ackie plays scientist Dr. Caitlyn Corr.
Is Clayface rated R?
Early reactions describe it as a hard R with intense body horror. Check the official rating on your theater listing.
Do I need to see other DC movies before Clayface?
No. Early viewers say it works without any DC knowledge.
Who directed Clayface?
James Watkins, who made Speak No Evil. Mike Flanagan wrote the story and co-wrote the script with Hossein Amini.