Credit: Warner Bros./DCThe DC Universe (DCU) is now officially underway under James Gunn and Peter Safran, and we finally have our first look at the all-new Gotham City and its lead star.
The DCU launched on the big screen last year with Superman (2025), which stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman. That film reset DC’s interconnected slate, laying the groundwork for a broader rollout of films and television projects that will form part of a new cinematic shared universe that replaces the now-defunct DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
The next major entry in the franchise is Supergirl (2026), led by Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl and releasing this summer. Looking further ahead, Man of Tomorrow (2027) is also in development, with Corenswet set to return as the Man of Steel alongside Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
But one of the most closely watched projects in the new DCU slate is The Brave and the Bold (TBA), directed by Andy Muschietti (2023’s The Flash). That film is expected to introduce the DCU’s Batman, though Warner Bros. and DC Studios have yet to announce a cast or confirm a release date. The uncertainty surrounding Bruce Wayne’s debut has only increased anticipation for how Gotham City will be integrated into the broader universe.
Related: James Gunn’s DCU Falls Apart as Zack Snyder Confirms That Henry Cavill Is Still Superman
That makes Clayface (2026) one of the most significant early Gotham-set projects in the DCU lineup. The film, written by Mike Flanagan and directed by James Watkins, focuses on Matt Hagen, a struggling actor who becomes the iconic shape-shifting Batman villain.
Early footage was revealed at CinemaCon (April 13–16). As reported by Variety, it featured a disturbing transformation sequence, with the outlet noting: “The trailer shows Matt sitting in a hospital bed with a bandaged, bloody face. He’s attacked by a knife-wielding assailant and has mysterious chemicals pumped into him, giving him his powers. Matt’s face changes repeatedly, showing him without an eye or mouth at times, and in the final moments he’s sitting in a bathtub and wipes away his entire face. There’s also a shadowy shot of him with a giant, mace-shaped fist, just like how he would pummel Batman in the DC comics.”
DC later released an in-universe promotional image in the form of a magazine cover, showing actor Tom Rhys Harries as the fictional Gotham City actor Matt Hagen under the headline “Rising Star,” marking the first official look at Clayface before his transformation.
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Since then, the Clayface film’s official social media account has released two more images, one of them another magazine cover (Gotham Medical) and the other the front page of Gotham Gazette, with a headline that reads “Actor Matt Hagen Brutally Attacked!”
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Now, in an even bigger promotional push, Warner Bros. and DC Studios have unveiled the first official trailer for Clayface online, giving audiences their clearest look yet at the film’s horror-leaning interpretation of the character, and, of course, the new DCU Gotham City.
Watch it below:
Clayface stars Tom Rhys Harries, Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, and David Dencik. The film is scheduled for release on October 23, 2026.
