DC’s Next Chapter: ‘Clayface’ Brings Body Horror as Blue Beetle Joins the Main DCU
Two weeks ago, DC unveiled the official trailer for its next upcoming feature, Clayface. The film's genre and overall tone mark a radical departure from traditional DC offerings:
Scheduled to hit North American theaters on October 23, Clayface is directed by James Watkins (Speak No Evil). The screenplay is penned by Mike Flanagan (Doctor Sleep) and Hossein Amini (Obi-Wan Kenobi). Tom Rhys Harries (White Lines) stars as the titular villain Matt Hagen / Clayface, alongside BAFTA-winning actress Naomi Ackie (The End of the F*ing World) as a scientist and Max Minghella (The Handmaid’s Tale) as a Gotham detective. The ensemble also includes two-time BIFA winner Eddie Marsan (Happy-Go-Lucky) and David Dencik (Chernobyl). The score is composed by Academy Award winner Volker Bertelmann (All Quiet on the Western Front).
Matt Hagen’s meteoric rise from Gotham street kid to Hollywood leading man is tragically cut short when a local crime boss’s actions leave him horribly disfigured. Abandoned by his team and with nothing left, Matt seeks out a cutting edge treatment that miraculously returns him to his former self… but also unexpectedly affects his grip on reality, spiraling him down a destructive path of all-consuming revenge. Clayface marks the third feature film entry in the rebooted DC Universe (DCU), following Superman and Supergirl. Rather than standard superhero spectacle, the film embraces pure body horror—a genre experiencing a critical resurgence following acclaimed hits like The Substance and Together. With Supergirl underperforming at the global box office ($130M total against its budget), industry observers are watching closely to see if Clayface’s financial turnout shifts DC Studios’ creative direction.
According to an exclusive report from Deadline last month, Blue Beetle star Xolo Maridueña is set to reprise his role as Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle in the upcoming Superman sequel, titled Man of Tomorrow. Slated for release on July 9, 2027, Man of Tomorrow is written and directed by DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn. David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult return as Clark Kent / Superman and Lex Luthor, who are forced into an uneasy alliance to combat a shared threat. Rachel Brosnahan, Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio, Isabela Merced, Nathan Fillion, and Edi Gathegi are set to return. Aaron Pierre will return as Green Lantern John Stewart (after HBO's Lanterns series), Lars Eidinger (All the Light We Cannot See) stars as the villainous android Brainiac, and Adria Arjona (Andor) is reported to play Maxima.
Following Warner Bros.' 2022 decision to overhaul the DC slate under James Gunn and Peter Safran, the studio initiated a soft reboot of the franchise. Rather than a complete clean break, select elements from Gunn’s prior DCEU projects—such as The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker (including Viola Davis’s Amanda Waller and the Peacemaker ensemble cast)—are officially integrated into the new DCU. Man of Tomorrow is expected to similarly clarify which aspects of 2023’s Blue Beetle carry forward into official DCU continuity. Additionally, Deadline noted that while an animated Blue Beetle series was previously in development, Warner Bros.' recent shifts in production strategy have placed the project on temporary hold.
If you are interested in upcoming movies to be released in Canada, please visit the Movie Release Schedule page on this website!
Photo: Warner Bros.
Source: Deadline