Credit: DC / Warner Bros.The new DC Universe is beginning to take shape under the leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran, with a clear focus on interconnected storytelling across film and television.
The rebooted franchise launched last year with Superman (2025), starring David Corenswet as the new Man of Steel. The next film, Supergirl (2026), with Milly Alcock in the titular role, is set for release this year and will continue expanding the DCU. Batman, however, who is also confirmed to exist within Gunn’s newly established universe, has yet to be revealed.
The DCU’s Batman reboot, The Brave and the Bold (TBA), directed by Andy Muschietti (2023’s The Flash), is set to introduce the next version of the Caped Crusader; however, DC Studios has yet to reveal who will wear the cowl.
In the absence of official casting, speculation has filled the void.
While many big names are being thrown around, much of that speculation has centered on Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of the Dark Knight in The Batman (2022), whom many fans believe will be integrated into the DCU—something James Gunn has publicly wavered on.
For now, the situation remains unchanged. Director Matt Reeves continues to develop his own separate continuity, with a sequel to The Batman (2022) slated for October 2027. That series exists firmly outside the DCU as part of what DC brands as “Elseworlds” (a collection of standalone films, including Joker), or more specifically, The Batman Epic Crime Saga.
As a result, audiences are still waiting for their first proper look at the DCU’s Batman. However, at this year’s CinemaCon, the annual convention for movie theater owners underway in Las Vegas (running from April 13 through 16), DC Studios unveiled the first footage from Clayface (2026), an upcoming DCU film centered on the iconic Batman villain.
While Batman himself was absent and isn’t expected to appear in the film (although a mid or post-credits tease can’t be ruled out), attendees were given their first glimpse of the DCU’s Gotham City, offering a tonal and visual tease of the world Batman will eventually inhabit.
The film stars Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen/Clayface, a struggling actor whose life takes a horrific turn. According to descriptions of the footage from Variety, the trailer leans heavily into body horror, showing Hagen disfigured and bandaged in a hospital bed before undergoing a transformation that turns his body into a malleable, clay-like substance.
“The trailer shows Matt sitting in a hospital bed with a bandaged, bloody face,” the outlet writes. “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.”
Directed by James Watkins and written by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, Clayface is positioned firmly as a horror-driven entry within the DCU—an indication that Gunn and Safran are willing to explore genre-specific storytelling within their new shared universe.
The cast for the upcoming film also includes Naomi Ackie as Dr. Caitlin Bates, described as a fringe scientist and Hagen’s love interest, and Max Minghella as a Gotham City police detective connected to Bates. Eddie Marsan and David Dencik have also been cast in undisclosed roles, with additional supporting characters rounding out the film’s ensemble.
Clayface releases on October 23. Supergirl releases on June 26.
Are you excited about Clayface? And do you think DC should keep Robert Pattinson’s Batman separate, or bring him into the DCU? And who would you cast as the next Dark Knight? Drop your thoughts below and stay tuned for more updates as the DCU continues to unfold.