CLAYFACE: DC Studios Officially Enlists SPEAK NO EVIL Director James Watkins To Helm

We now have confirmation that Speak No Evil director James Watkins will take the helm of DC Studios' Clayface movie, along with some new details on the project...

News

By MarkCassidy - Feb 21, 2025 01:02 PM EST

Filed Under: Batman

We had heard that he was the front-runner, and the trades have now confirmed that Speak No Evil director James Watkins will take the helm of DC Studios' solo Clayface movie.

According to THR, Watkins landed the gig after an extensive search, and met with DC co-CEO James Gunn on Thursday for a final presentation before officially being offered the project.

"Sources say the film is budgeted at $40 million and is a Hollywood horror tale centering on a B-movie actor who injects himself with a substance to keep himself relevant, only to find out that he can reshape his face and form, becoming a walking piece of clay."

Gunn will produce alongside Peter Dafran and The Batman director Matt Reeves, with Lynn Harris and Chantal Nong serving as executive producers.

Mike Flanagan penned the script, but was reportedly unavailable to direct due to his commitments to a Carrie TV series and the new Exorcist movie. The project has been given an official release date of September 11, 2026.

Based on previous comments from Gunn, the movie will be set in the DCU, as opposed to Reeves' "BatVerse."

"Exciting news out of [DC] Studios today as [Clayface], a DCU story from a script by Mike Flanagan, has been OFFICIALLY greenlit. Clayface premieres in 2026."

Safran shared a few new details on the Flanagan script, noting that Clayface is indeed going to be a full-on horror movie in the same vein as David Cronenberg's The Fly, and more recently, we learned that the movie will also take more than a little inspiration from Coralie Fargeat's body horror hit, The Substance.

"Clayface, you see, is a Hollywood horror story, according to our sources, using the most popular incarnation of the villain – a B-movie actor who injects himself with a substance to keep himself relevant only to find out that he can reshape his face and form, becoming a walking piece of clay.".

Clayface is looking to shoot in a variety of locales, including Vancouver, Toronto, and New Jersey or Atlanta.

No word on casting just yet (that recent James McAvoy rumor proved to be false), but Alan Tudyk recently provided the voice of Clayface in James Gunn's animated Creature Commandos series, meaning there's a chance he could also play the character in live-action at some point.

What do you make of this news? Do you have any interest in a solo Clayface DCU film? Drop us a comment down below.

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42 Comments

1 2

marvel72 - 2/21/2025, 1:13 PM

Watch the original Speak No Evil, the American version is Girl boss nonsense.

NinnesMBC - 2/21/2025, 1:19 PM

@marvel72 - Your misoginy is literally pathetic. Stay mad.

dracula - 2/21/2025, 1:37 PM

@marvel72 - its for sure inferior to the original but the changes were made because he already made a movie like the original

Eden Lake

Still the guy seems to have a pretty decent track record

THEKENDOMAN - 2/21/2025, 2:12 PM

@marvel72 - complete nonsense.

Why would take a beautiful disturbing Danish movie, add some credible actors and turn it into Americantrash?

For [frick]s sake.

dragon316 - 2/21/2025, 2:31 PM

@marvel72 - like ending American version original was messed up hated ending to original wanted villians die they live

dragon316 - 2/21/2025, 2:32 PM

@THEKENDOMAN - ?si=-ikoamP0hkcCzLGI

?si=80AcG26-uRxJPNn0

marvel72 - 2/21/2025, 2:43 PM

@NinnesMBC - Watch the original no happy ending.

THEKENDOMAN - 2/21/2025, 2:46 PM

@dragon316 - Exactly.

For [frick]s sake

marvel72 - 2/21/2025, 2:47 PM

@NinnesMBC -

?si=R9b3bjOmAmDqcGIP

AnEye - 2/21/2025, 4:20 PM

@marvel72 - Ah yes! The classic "Let me share a YouTubers POV to validate my opinion, that most likely came from this exact same video instead of coming up with my own POV" response.

harryba11zack - 2/21/2025, 1:13 PM

james mcavoy for clay

Waifuslayer2 - 2/21/2025, 1:40 PM

@harryba11zack - I'd be down for this.

THEKENDOMAN - 2/21/2025, 2:13 PM

@harryba11zack - Agreed

mastakilla39 - 2/21/2025, 2:16 PM

@harryba11zack - nah they will probably go for demi moore or margaret qually and just rip off the substance lol

NinnesMBC - 2/21/2025, 1:15 PM

Now to find the "B-movie actor" and if Watkins can understand the script Flanagan made.

TheVisionary25 - 2/21/2025, 1:16 PM

@NinnesMBC - I know Flanagan busy with other projects but hope they atleast have him as a consultant on this.

NinnesMBC - 2/21/2025, 1:20 PM

@TheVisionary25 - Yes at the very least that would give this a little more of confidance. Last thing they need is for this to become a cautionary tale of what happens when you fast track too quick a project that you couldn't wait until the OG creative was available to sit down and do it himself.

TheVisionary25 - 2/21/2025, 1:26 PM

@NinnesMBC - I think if he gave them his consent then it should be fine.

Maybe they couldn’t wait but also if Flanagan really wanted to do it then he could have too

NinnesMBC - 2/21/2025, 1:27 PM

@TheVisionary25 - Hopefully it is.

TheVisionary25 - 2/21/2025, 1:28 PM

@NinnesMBC - also…

I can’t help but think of it but could see a Speak No Evil reunion here.

NinnesMBC - 2/21/2025, 1:32 PM

@TheVisionary25 - They've got nothing to lose if they ask him now honestly, they should do it before they lose that window and he's booked for something else. Especially after the news that they apparently lost Daniel Craig. Bring some balance back.

TheVisionary25 - 2/21/2025, 1:37 PM

@NinnesMBC - Do you mean Flanagan?

Iif so it would be shitty to do that after just getting Watkins

NinnesMBC - 2/21/2025, 1:48 PM

@TheVisionary25 - No no you misunderstood me, I meant that they've got nothing to lose if they ask McAvoy if he would be interested in playing Clayface's tragic journey here. I am well aware it is not possible to get Flanagan here. And it'd be wise to do it now when they already got Watkins before it's too late and McAvoy finds a new role somewhere else.

TheVisionary25 - 2/21/2025, 2:13 PM

@NinnesMBC - oh ok

I agree.

TheVisionary25 - 2/21/2025, 1:16 PM

I haven’t seen any of Watkins work so far (though Speak No Evil from its trailers seemed decent imo) but if I’ll give him a shot so hope he does well!!.

Anyway I’m intrigued by this film , Peter Safran said it was going to be inspired by The Fly which means we will likely see whatever iteration they go with whether it be Basil Karlo ,Matt Hagen or someone else turn into Clayface which could be fun in its body horror glory lol…

If that synopsis true then seems like they are taking some inspiration from the BTAS version aswell which is probably one of , if not my favorite take on the character so that makes me even more optimistic.

?feature=shared

Godzilla2000Zer - 2/21/2025, 1:16 PM

Love his The Woman in Black so he's a solid choice.

KurtCrawler - 2/21/2025, 1:19 PM

Good choice. Hope McAvoy,Matt Dillon or Alan Tudyk gets the role

ThorArms - 2/21/2025, 1:21 PM

So...The Substance with men

TopBoy - 2/21/2025, 1:32 PM

@ThorArms - Clayface came before the substance ripped it off.

NinnesMBC - 2/21/2025, 1:50 PM

@TopBoy - Doesn't feel fair to say The Substance ripped it off because the Clayface two episode arc never pit him against a clay clone that was trying to actively replace him despite having a deal to co-exit. That's where the difference lies.

Monkeyballs2 - 2/21/2025, 2:14 PM

@ThorArms @TopBoy @NinnesMBC - I mean The Substance is pretty much a remake of Cronenberg's The Fly with its own unique perspective. The opening shot shows a fly in her wine. Instead of a transporter where the transformation happens, it's a secret room behind the bathroom. The entire idea of the main characters trying to achieve peak human perfection and desire for acceptance and adulation from their respective industries is a major theme running throughout both films.

They're both excellent and unique films. I love The Fly and The Substance was fantastic. If Clayface is anything like either of these two films, then it has a chance to be more than just another comic book movie.

The Substance most definitely did not rip off Clayface. That's silly.

ObserverIO - 2/21/2025, 2:21 PM

@ThorArms - Man Substance!

...

no.

bobevanz - 2/21/2025, 1:33 PM

Solid director for this size. Smaller budgeted super hero indies just might work if they can land the perfect casting. At least this doesn't have to make 700 million 625 million to break even lol

Waifuslayer2 - 2/21/2025, 1:39 PM

Love the writer (as long as he keeps his monologuing in check), director is solid and I LOVE the smaller budget. This is what we need from now on. Looking forward to this.

Give me Sandman Mystery Theater next!

Forthas - 2/21/2025, 1:45 PM

This is going to end up being another Joker Folie aux Deux...without the singing!

Say YES to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) ... say NO to Stupidity, Extremism, and Ignorance (SEI) and Childish Reactionary Tantrums (CRT)

MisterBones - 2/21/2025, 1:58 PM

Should be small budget hopefully. B movie vibes.

ObserverIO - 2/21/2025, 2:29 PM

Great writer (Flanagan), based on a great 2-parter BTAS (Feat of Clay), two great cbm directors producing (Reeves and Gunn) and now with a pretty good director too (Eden Lake dude).

ModHaterSLADE - 2/21/2025, 2:39 PM

Gonna keep an open mind unlike the usual whiney bitches on here, but the American version of Speak No Evil is MEH at best 🤷🏾‍♂️

JobinJ - 2/21/2025, 2:42 PM

If Batman isn't in this.....who the [frick] cares to watch. GP doesn't even know who clayface is.

CLAYFACE: DC Studios Officially Enlists SPEAK NO EVIL Director James Watkins To Helm

We now have confirmation that Speak No Evil director James Watkins will take the helm of DC Studios' Clayface movie, along with some new details on the project...

Huge DCU News Is Reportedly On The Way Following Today's Private Press Event

BATMAN #1 First Look: Matt Fraction And Jorge Jiménez Usher In A New Era For The Dark Knight

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.