Clayface arrives in theaters next weekend and, like the majority of horror movies, it's received an R-rating from the MPA. Under-17s can attend if they're accompanied by a parent or adult guardian, meaning younger DC fans will be able to watch the movie if a willing adult accompanies them.
Most horror movies get a 15 rating in the UK, with only a small number receiving an 18 (Obsession, for example). However, the difference is that, parents or not, no one under those ages is allowed to watch these "R-rated" films in cinemas.
Clayface has just been rated by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), and it's received an 18 for "strong bloody violence, injury detail."
That's the equivalent of a hard R or NC-17 movie in the U.S., and it means only adults will be able to see the latest DCU movie on the big screen.
While it's a shame for them, and a very small blow to the movie's box office takings in the country, this just goes to show that Clayface will push the boundaries of what a horror movie can do with some legitimately hardcore body horror.
During a recent interview with SFX Magazine, Clayface star Tom Rhys Harries revealed exactly how powerful the movie's titular villain is.
"Yeah, I could take Batman out," he stated. "Clayface is so overpowered comparative to Batman. I can become anyone. I can become anything. Once Matt gains control over his powers then you're in a space where you're like, 'What do you want to use these for.'"
In Clayface, 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, spiralling him down a destructive path of all-consuming revenge.
The movie stars Tom Rhys Harries in the title role of the cult-favourite villain from Gotham's rogues' gallery. The cast includes Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella and Eddie Marsan, as well as Nancy Carroll and Joshua James.
James Watkins directs from a screenplay by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, with Flanagan also getting a "Story by" credit. Clayface is produced by Matt Reeves, Lynn Harris, James Gunn and Peter Safran, with Michael E. Uslan, Chantal Nong Vo, Lars P. Winther, Rafi Crohn and Paul Ritchie executive producing.
Watkins' creative team includes director of photography Rob Hardy, production designer James Price, editor Jon Harris and costume designer Keith Madden. Volker Bertelmann (Conclave) is the movie's composer.
Clayface will be released in theaters on October 23.