Clayface set photos have been causing quite the stir in recent weeks, largely because they’ve offered us our first look at the DCU’s Gotham City (which, as we write this, has yet to find a Batman).
Set photos have also brought us a plethora of Easter Eggs, ranging from teases for The Joker and The Penguin to a mention of The Flying Graysons. Almost all of that has been set dressing, of course, meaning we may not even see it in the movie itself. As a result, fans are divided over whether these are deliberate world-building or the production designers simply having fun.
Yesterday brought what might have been the biggest Clayface reveal yet with a sticker placed on a bin that featured the Bat-Symbol from Matt Reeves’ The Batman movie.
Some took that as confirmation that Robert Pattinson will indeed be the DCU’s Dark Knight. The fan who took the photo even claimed that it was placed somewhere only crew could reach, so this seemingly wasn’t the work of sneaky fan looking to send social into a frenzy.
DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn was asked about this apparent Easter Egg on Threads, and put an end to the speculation.
"Although the trash can is from the set I have a hard time believing the bat was put there by the art department," he said, "but if so it never came across my desk (I don't have time to ok every piece of set dressing.)"
We don’t think Gunn is looking to mislead anyone here, as it seems the notion of Pattinson’s Batman joining the DCU was only ever briefly considered and is now an idea that DC Stuidios has moved on from. That’s not overly surprising, as it would require some major retcons and isn’t likely to fit in with Reeves’ plans for his standalone trilogy (there’s a reason The Batman wasn’t part of the DCEU in 2022).
Earlier this year, Gunn revealed that Warner Bros. first approached him about directing a Batman movie in 2018 before talk turned to whether Robert Pattinson's version of the character could be folded into the DCU. Many fans want it to happen, but the Superman helmer continued to mostly hedge his bets on that front.
"It would be a consideration. We’d have to think about it. We’d have to think about it. It is not like we’ve never discussed it," he mused. "I would never say zero [chance], because you just never know. But it’s not likely. It’s not likely at all."
The cast of Clayface will be led by newcomer Tom Rhys Harries, with Eddie Marsan, Max Minghella, and Naomi Ackie set to join him in undisclosed roles. The movie, written by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, and directed by James Watkins, is set to arrive in theaters on September 11, 2026.