CLAYFACE Reportedly Eyeing THE HANDMAID'S TALE Actor Max Minghella For Key Role - Confirmed

CLAYFACE Reportedly Eyeing THE HANDMAID'S TALE Actor Max Minghella For Key Role - Confirmed

Max Minghella (The Handmaid's Tale, The Social Network) is reportedly being eyed for the role of John in DC Studios’ Clayface movie...

By MarkCassidy - Aug 11, 2025 03:08 PM EST
Filed Under: Clayface

UPDATE: Though the deal hasn't closed just yet, Deadline has confirmed that Minghella is in talks. THR notes that he will play "a Gotham City police detective who is dating the scientist [Naomi Ackie]."

Original story follows.

Following the recent news that Naomi Ackie (Blink Twice, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Mickey 17) is in talks to join the cast of DC Studios' Clayface movie, we're hearing that Max Minghella (The Social Network, The Handmaid's Tale) is also being eyed for a key role.

According to Nexus Point News, Minghella would play a character named John, "a detective and fiancé to Caitlin Bates, who’s suspicious of his fiancée’s relationship with Matt Hagen/Clayface."

We're not sure if Minghella is actually in negotiations as of yet, but Ackie is now believed to have been officially offered the role of Bates, while Tom Rhys Harries will play Hagen.

Though this is just a rumor for now, the source has been scooping the trades with major casting news for months at this stage, so we're inclined to believe this is on the level.

Clayface's story will reportedly "center on an ascending actor whose face is disfigured by a gangster. As a last resort, the actor turns to a fringe Elizabeth Holmes-style scientist for help. At first, the experiment is a successful but … well, it wouldn’t be a horror movie if the story ended right there, would it?"

Speak No Evil director James Watkins will helm the project, while Gunn will produce alongside Peter Safran 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. Screenwriter Hossein Amini, best known for prnning 2011’s Drive, was recently tapped to do some rewrites. The project has been given an official release date of September 11, 2026.

Though Clayface will be set in the DCU, fans probably should expect many connections to the wider universe, and we'd be very surprised if Batman shows up or is even mentioned.

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.".  

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CLAYFACE: Naomi Ackie In Talks To Join DCU Movie In Mysterious Role; New Plot Details Revealed

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CaptainDC
CaptainDC - 8/4/2025, 9:30 PM
I cannot for the life of me understand why we need this movie. Just make a f'ikng Batman movie and sure, Clayface can be a villain. But enough of these c-tier character spin-offs that no one cares about.

Give us Batman, give us Robin, give us Nightwin... enough is enough.
movieguy18
movieguy18 - 8/4/2025, 11:31 PM
@CaptainDC - Agreed!
noname
noname - 8/4/2025, 11:58 PM
@CaptainDC - NO! Man, what's with you nerds? Y'all just want the same shit over and over again.

"We need to focus on Superman, Batman, The Flash and Wonder Woman."

How bout no? You just got all those characters. You act like the last time you saw these characters were in the eraly 2000's. WE LITERALLY JUST GOT ALL THESE MUTHRFUKERS WITH SNYDER!! ENOUGH!

This is the DC UNIVERSE. Focus on other shit. Those characters can wait. They'll always be important anyway. I like the fact that people are excited to see Peacemaker again, a character that no one even knew existed. Good. Not everything is fuking Batman.

Enough is enough!
DrServo
DrServo - 8/5/2025, 3:25 AM
@CaptainDC - There are those who DO care about them and are excited that "c+tier" characters are going to be explored. Batman has been done to death and there's already another one on the way. There's loads of DC characters that can be introduced before another Batman movie. At some point it's too much Batman and people get sick of him.
CaptainDC
CaptainDC - 8/5/2025, 9:21 AM
@noname - I get the desire to expand the DC Universe beyond the main four heroes, and in theory, I support that. But a Clayface solo movie is a solution in search of a problem.

Clayface is a compelling villain, not a lead. He's best when playing off Batman. Just like in Batman: The Animated Series, the most memorable Clayface stories were BATMAN-centric. The strength of that show was its balance: a consistent Batman lens, with deep dives into his rogues gallery and side characters, interconnected but standalone. That’s what made it one of the best iterations of the character to date.

And let’s be honest, we’re not exactly drowning in Batman content right now. The Batman was a great step, but we've never had a full Bat-family, a true ongoing Gotham story, or a world where someone like Clayface organically fits. You want obscure characters? Fine. But ground them in something fans actually care about: Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, the whole ecosystem.

Peacemaker worked because it was irreverent, had a creative voice, and came after we got a clear take on him. Clayface? There's been zero setup. No emotional investment. No hero to contrast him with.

So no, it’s not "nerds wanting the same shit." It’s fans wanting DC to build cohesively, not throw darts at the wall
CaptainDC
CaptainDC - 8/5/2025, 9:24 AM
@DrServo - Sure, SOME people are excited to see lesser-known characters get the spotlight, and done well, that can be great. But let’s be honest: Clayface isn’t the breakout DC needs right now.

You say Batman’s been done to death, but we haven’t had a proper big-screen Batman with Robin in over 30 years. No Nightwing. No Batgirl in a real universe. No Bat-family dynamic. Just solo Batman films or ensemble Justice League messes. That’s not "too much Batman," that’s incomplete Batman.

We’re skipping over massive, beloved storylines and characters people actually want, just to push a niche villain with no established foundation. Clayface isn’t like Peacemaker, who had a unique tone, strong writing, and a hook. He’s not built to carry a film on his own. Without the emotional core of Batman, this becomes a disconnected experiment, one that likely flops at the box office and adds nothing meaningful to the larger DCU.

Introduce new characters, sure. But build around a strong spine first. Clayface works best in a Batman movie, not instead of one
noname
noname - 8/5/2025, 11:03 AM
@CaptainDC - And James is working on that. You want him to prematurely greenlight the introduction of the Bat-Family to appease fans who can't just.......................WAIT?

Gunn has said several times that "Clayface" was never even a part of the plan. Flanagan turned in a script they liked. They needed DCU content because everything else was in development - either being reworked or outright just canceled - so he greenlit it. I mean, what do you want the guy to do?

He's trying to prioritize great scripts over quantity. Isn't that what moviegoers ask for, actual good stories? Well, James is actually taking that to heart and people are still complaining.

Enough, dude. Just let him do something different
CaptainDC
CaptainDC - 8/5/2025, 11:16 AM
@noname - Clayface might have a solid script, but if it's the wrong story at the wrong timel, what does that mattter?

The DCU has no foundation yet. No Batman continuity. No Bat-Family. A Clayface solo film will not change that. It's a financial risk with no upside and adds nothing to a universe that does not exist.

There is an entire Bat-Family the general audience actually cares about and has waited decades to see. Start there. Build something that connects with more than just niche fans
noname
noname - 8/5/2025, 12:09 PM
@CaptainDC - You don't know if it's the wrong story at the wrong time! You don't know shizz! You're just assuming things.

It is not a financial risk. It's a low budget movie centered on a popular villain. It WILL make money. If The Substance made money, Clayface will make money bro. Come on.

No one gives a fuk about the Batfamily, sorry to break it to you. They care about Batman. They could give a fuk about seeing Robin or Nightwing or Damian. That's for you geeks to care about. General audience doesnt care.

Lilo and Stitch and Minecraft made a billion because those are popular properties people have nostalgia for. The Batfamily isnt nostalgic to average people, dogg.
CaptainDC
CaptainDC - 8/5/2025, 12:53 PM
@noname - Clayface is not a popular villain!!! Why are you pretending he is? The general audience does not know him, and there is no built-in demand. Hence zero attempt to ever include him in a live-action movie. That makes it a huge risk, especially when superhero films are underperforming unless they are tied to major characters or IP.

Youre' also completely wrong, the Bat-Family is not irrelevant. It has been ignored. Robin has not been in a serious film in 30 years. Everyone knows who Robin is. Nightwing and Batgirl have never even had a shot. Everyone knows who Batgirl is. Of course the general audience does not care. They have never been given a reason to. That is not proof no one wants them. That is proof WB dropped the ball.

You are comparing Clayface to Lilo and Stitch and Minecraft, billion-dollar brands with massive multi-generational recognition. Clayface is a tier-three villain from a property that has not even introduced its tier-one characters properly yet.

This is not about what fans want versus what geeks want. It is about what actually has potential. Clayface is a dead end.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 8/11/2025, 3:40 PM
@CaptainDC - Especially considering Eve Karlo in Penguin was an obvious nod to Basil Karlo.
AllsGood
AllsGood - 8/11/2025, 3:48 PM
@CaptainDC - How many Batman Movies do you want?

The Batman: Part II

2027 Film
HelloBoysImBack
HelloBoysImBack - 8/11/2025, 4:05 PM
@AllsGood - you unblocked me

User Comment Image
Pimpanzee
Pimpanzee - 8/11/2025, 4:09 PM
@CaptainDC - Boring. Gunn is hiring talented writers and letting them get weird. That's what he should do until they drag him away
Pimpanzee
Pimpanzee - 8/11/2025, 4:10 PM
@Pimpanzee - That's what made DC better than Marvel in the '80s and '90s, so you should appreciate his approach
AllsGood
AllsGood - 8/11/2025, 4:11 PM
@HelloBoysImBack - Some time ago even before all Box Office Numbers came out.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 8/11/2025, 4:17 PM
@noname - you have my vote!
HelloBoysImBack
HelloBoysImBack - 8/11/2025, 4:30 PM
@CaptainDC - Gunn makes things for himself
McMurdo
McMurdo - 8/11/2025, 4:41 PM
@CaptainDC - Batman is being written and they should take all the time they need to finally give us the comic accurate Batman film we deserve.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 8/11/2025, 4:52 PM
@CaptainDC - the problem is that you see Clayface as a solution to anything when I reality its just a Mike Flanagan passion project horror film. It's only happening because Flanagan came up with a story he felt was worth telling and Gunn and co. clearly agreed.
AnEye
AnEye - 8/11/2025, 5:41 PM
@CaptainDC - Just make a f'ikng Batman movie and sure, Clayface can be a villain"

Annnnndddd this is why you are commenting on a movie site and not running a studio.
AnEye
AnEye - 8/11/2025, 5:44 PM
@CaptainDC - Also wanna point out how stupid you sound considering that C List characters, actually do make a lot of money. Were you the same idiot who thought GOTG would be a box office flop? Because by your dumbass logic, there was no reason for anybody to care about GOTG, so why even make a movie?

If you don't care for Clayface, fine. But if you really don't know how to contribute and just bitch we haven't gotten the 24th Batman film, then do humanity a favor and kindly STFU. Thanks.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 8/11/2025, 8:11 PM
I'm totally fine with medium budget superhero movies. The backstory for this character is interesting and meta in terms of the industry itself. The Substance PROVED that this movie can succeed. Body Horror is trendy and I'll take this any day of the week. I just wish they cast a big name, but now they can save 20 million and if it's successful this dude becomes a superstar. Win win. WB is kicking ass this year, anyone who says otherwise is full of shit
CaptainDC
CaptainDC - 8/11/2025, 8:38 PM
@AnEye - “Annnnndddd this is why you’re commenting on a movie site and not running a studio.”
My guy, this applies to you too. Cracking up at you thinking you cooked with that one 😂

I'm glad you brought up GOTG. The KEY difference is Marvel had already built out its core heroes, dropped The Avengers, and was dominating the box office when they took that swing. They had momentum, a connected universe, and audience trust. Clayface has none of that. This isn’t a bold move. It’s a desperate one, throwing darts at characters no one asked for before the actual foundation exists.

And since you brought up the one C-lister that worked, here’s your graveyard of C-list DC flops: Jonah Hex, Steel, Catwoman, Blue Beetle, Green Lantern. And that's not even mentioning the previous DCEU. They All failed because nobody cared and there was no universe to care about. Clayface is walking the same path straight to nowhere.

You don’t build a universe with a side villain before even introducing Batman, Robin, or Nightwing. You’re out here defending a movie built around someone the average person couldn’t pick out of a lineup and thinking that’s the master plan?

Clayface doesn’t launch the DCU. He delays it. He’s not the blueprint. He’s filler that isnt going to drive box office sales.
AnEye
AnEye - 8/12/2025, 7:01 AM
@CaptainDC - "Cracking up at you thinking you cooked with that one"

Don't crack up too much now, you dont my want my nut out your mouth since you only felt the need to respond to me. I guess I really cooked if you felt the need to only RESPOND to me. Enjoy that nut sweetheart, I'm sure your mamma would be proud.

Anywho, this is why you are stuck commenting here instead of giving us your glorious ideas to movie studios. Stay in your lane bitch lol.
AnEye
AnEye - 8/12/2025, 7:05 AM
@CaptainDC - "I'm glad you brought up GOTG. The KEY difference is Marvel had already built out its core heroes, dropped The Avengers, and was domina"

OHHHHHHHHHHHH PLEASEEEEE! [frick]ing DC has dropped more animated titles than Marvel, more video games, hell it actually is responsible for creating Batman & Superman into pop-culture icons, which is why gen audience flocks to these two heroes on the screen.

Like I swear some of you fans have no idea how to make money if it hit you in the face. Nah. Let's take a contrived plan from 2008 and keep re-doing it as if no other studio attempted it.

Thank god your not making movies. You would make Zack Snyder's writing seem like the next Aaron Sorkin based on your ideas.
DarkeyeZ
DarkeyeZ - 8/12/2025, 8:50 AM
@CaptainDC - It's funny when someone rants on a comment section of a page that has maybe, 1000 unique users and acts like he speaks for the majority of people.
no movie is "needed" and studios don't take requests so movies are not "asked for", so all the "who don't need this movie" or "nobody asked for this" conversations are pointless and dumb.
What the DCU needs is GOOD movies. be it Clayface Batman or Booster Gold...if the movie is good, bring it on.
Batman has his own elseworld franchise, so that is where people will get their Batman fill....
most other characters were kinda ruined by the Snyderverse, so DC is probably gonna wait until the masses forget that The Flash movie existed before reintroducing anyone that appeared in it.
Anyways, the focus should be on Quality over Popularity. The Superman movie was amazing. I lost faith in James Gunn after the last 2 Guardians movie and The Suicide Squad movie, but now I trust him again, so if he thinks a Clayface movie is needed in his overall story he is telling, I'ma rock with him.
CaptainDC
CaptainDC - 8/12/2025, 10:11 AM
@AnEye - Serious question... are you 16? LOL and if you can read, you'll see you're not the only person i responded to - just the dumbest and corniest.

how does bringing up DC video games or animated movies prove anything? my guy, you speak on this like you have any source of credibility or knowledge. you dont know anything. it's proven in the fact you have nothing to back any of what youre saying up and i have actual box office results that speak for itself. you're just throwing a tantrum at this point
DocSpock
DocSpock - 8/4/2025, 9:35 PM

Superman launches with mediocre/average box office results.

But YIPPEE!!!! Here comes Clayface!!

But still no Batman.

What a joke.

AmazingFILMporg
AmazingFILMporg - 8/4/2025, 10:29 PM
@DocSpock -


Superman and fantastic 4 had multiple films before flop and were terrible. They're also facing superhero fatigue. They're doing ok all things considered.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 8/4/2025, 10:50 PM
@DocSpock - Batman needs some time off
DocSpock
DocSpock - 8/4/2025, 11:23 PM
@AmazingFILMporg -

They are not doing okay. Barely breaking even(maybe?) with top shelf properties is BAD. Things are aiming down, not looking up.

DocSpock
DocSpock - 8/4/2025, 11:24 PM
@lazlodaytona -

He sure is freaking getting it.
noname
noname - 8/5/2025, 12:03 AM
@lazlodaytona - Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash need time off. I'd be more excited to see Snowflame at this point than Batman. Let these characters simmer for a bit while DC kills it with the appetizers.
LibraMatter
LibraMatter - 8/5/2025, 1:36 AM
@DocSpock - with all due respect, top shelf characters? Superman and Fantastic Four were the most Vanilla characters ever. The new movies have actually brought the best parts of them and added fun and humanity to them. Superman is a grounded and charming boyscout. The Fantastic Four are a grounded, family of genius-adventurers that are an Earth’s heroes that badass. To me they all have now become top shelf, finally.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 8/5/2025, 4:11 AM
@DocSpock - We just had The Batman in 2022, The Flash (with multiple Batmen) in 2023 and both Joker 2 and The Penguin in 2024. That's plenty of Batman content.

Now there's Clayface next year (Batman adjacent) and The Batman part II the following year. So it's really only right now that there isn't any Batman.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 8/5/2025, 4:14 AM
It's Batman's year off.

And if they'd have put that Batman cameo in The Sandman he wouldn't have even a year off.
Pathogen
Pathogen - 8/11/2025, 3:46 PM
@DocSpock - Fantastic Four is a top shelf property?? I liked the movie, but never thought much of the books
AllsGood
AllsGood - 8/11/2025, 3:53 PM
@DocSpock - The Batman: Part II
2027 Film
DocSpock
DocSpock - 8/11/2025, 4:58 PM
@Pathogen - I've been reading them since the 60s. They are one of my favorites.

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