CLAYFACE Set Photos Reveal New Look At Mysterious Villain & Gotham City Location With Zatanna Connection

CLAYFACE Set Photos Reveal New Look At Mysterious Villain & Gotham City Location With Zatanna Connection

As filming continues on DC Studios' Clayface movie, we have some new photos and videos from the Liverpool set, featuring the return of a mysterious mobster villain and more of The DCU's Gotham City...

By MarkCassidy - Sep 09, 2025 10:09 AM EST
Filed Under: Clayface

Cameras are still rolling on DC Studios' Clayface movie in Liverpool, England, and some new photos and video clips have been shared online.

While there's nothing too exciting here, we do get another look at that mysterious villain(?) and some of his associates leaving Club Vesuvius, which is a well-known Gotham City establishment run by a former mobster named Johnny Sabatino. Could this be the identity of the bald, well-dressed fella in the video?

It's certainly one possibility, but there's also been some speculation that he might be Roland Daggett, who was introduced in Batman: The Animated Series as a very powerful and very corrupt businessman. Daggett Industries was responsible for the creation of Clayface in the cartoon, so there's a chance this character has been modified slightly as a more-hands on mobster, and the man responsible for disfiguring Matt Hagen's (Tom Rhys Harries) face.

Though we can't imagine this will have any bearing on the movie at all, but it's also worth noting that Zatanna is a regular of Vesuvius in the comics.

Clayface will also star Max Minghella (The Social Network, The Handmaid's Tale) as John, a Gotham City detective who becomes suspicious of his fiancé Caitlin's relationship with Matt Hagen. Naomi Ackie (Blink Twice, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Mickey 17) plays Caitlin Bates, a biotech CEO who treats Matt after he's left disfigured by a mobster.

The 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 James 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. Screenwriter Hossein Amini, best known for penning 2011’s Drive, was recently tapped to do some rewrites. The project has been given an official release date of September 11, 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.".  

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Pathogen
Pathogen - 9/9/2025, 10:29 AM
What a weird solo movie to make
Kiba
Kiba - 9/9/2025, 10:31 AM
@Pathogen - No weirder than Madame Web.
dracula
dracula - 9/9/2025, 11:02 AM
@Kiba - at least clayface is a character people know
Usernametaken
Usernametaken - 9/9/2025, 11:10 AM
@Pathogen - The Clayface episode (or was it episodes?) in the 90's Batman Animated Series etched into my memory says otherwise. As a kid it was such an incredible tragic story.

So I totally understand the idea of transposing to theaters. Maybe from a comic book stand point you can think that there is bigger stories to tell with more famous characters, but a good movie is not about how big it is, but how good the story and characters are.

And the Clayface story has all the elements needed for a great tragedy.
Usernametaken
Usernametaken - 9/9/2025, 11:13 AM
@Kiba - Yeah, the more I think about Madame Web, the more I ask myself why the [frick] did they make this?
They could have done a spider-woman or a Spider Gwen movie, but nope, they went with Madame Web. Geniuses.
WalletsClosed
WalletsClosed - 9/9/2025, 11:36 AM
@Kiba - That flopped and so will this
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 9/9/2025, 11:38 AM
@Pathogen - I'm excited for it. Getting to see as much of Gotham's underbelly is interesting. I think this'll surprise us.
MisterBones
MisterBones - 9/9/2025, 10:32 AM
I dig the idea of the movie and I get not wanting to pass up a Flanagan script, but still kind of odd to introduce a batman villain before Batman
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 9/9/2025, 11:41 AM
@MisterBones - I understand that take but people sure didn't have a problem with every superhero and villain showing up Smallville .... before Superman actually became Superman.
Sinner
Sinner - 9/9/2025, 10:39 AM
Batman better show up at the end that’s all I’m saying
Laridian
Laridian - 9/9/2025, 10:45 AM
@Sinner - or else what? lol
Sinner
Sinner - 9/9/2025, 10:57 AM
@Laridian - Or else is going to look pretty [frick]ing stupid we’ve got two different versions showing up at the end of the same episode of Peacemaker but no Batman stopping a Batman villain. This a shared universe, not an Elseworlds. There’s no excuse.
Laridian
Laridian - 9/9/2025, 11:03 AM
@Sinner - So, go tell James Gunn that's what you want and he if he changes his mind for you. We might get a mention of Batman, but I don't think we're actually getting Batman, just a taste of Gotham. Looking forward to it.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 9/9/2025, 11:19 AM
@Sinner - Reeves or Gunn’s universe? I have absolutely no idea where this is supposed to take place.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 9/9/2025, 11:42 AM
@Laridian - Taste of Gotham

So should be a restaurant name.
Laridian
Laridian - 9/9/2025, 11:47 AM
@lazlodaytona - Or like an annual event where all the cities food vendors get together in one place.
CaptainDC
CaptainDC - 9/9/2025, 10:40 AM
I can’t stress enough what a misstep this movie is. Introducing audiences to the DCU’s Gotham City through a Clayface film is a baffling choice. If it flops, and given that Clayface is a C-tier Batman villain with a D-list cast it very well might, it risks creating more doubt and disappointment than excitement.

What the DCU needs right now is a film the general public can rally behind, something that builds confidence and momentum. Only after that foundation is set should you start world-building and exploring deeper corners of the universe
Laridian
Laridian - 9/9/2025, 10:46 AM
@CaptainDC - They did that already. They made 'SUPERMAN' and everyone loved it. People are clamoring to get any bits of the DCU they can. 'CLAYFACE' will do just fine. 'SUPERGIRL' is coming first anyway.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 9/9/2025, 10:55 AM
@CaptainDC - there's this recent movie called Superman, have you seen it? It describes exactly what you're looking for lol
WalletsClosed
WalletsClosed - 9/9/2025, 11:38 AM
@bobevanz - The general public did NOT rally behind Diaperman and it built zero confidence and momentum. The only people who think otherwise are the Gunn Gooners such as yourself
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 9/9/2025, 11:43 AM
@CaptainDC - they might as well just keep teasing Batman until Reeve's take is done.
Laridian
Laridian - 9/9/2025, 10:44 AM
To clarify, 'CREATURE COMMANDOS' introduced us to Clayface and this film is like a prequel for that character. As far as 'WHY?' make a Clayface movie, I can think of a number of reasons. The same reason 'WEREWOLF BY NIGHT' was made. They were like, hey genius creator (in this case, Mike Flanagan), what would you like to contribute to the new DCU. He was like, how about a horror film? I've always wanted to adapt the story of Clayface. Done. Let's make it happen. Let's show the DCU from multiple angles. Lanterns, Themyscira, Gotham, let's get it all going at once and build out a fully-realized universe. Let the man cook. He's never failed so far.
vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 9/9/2025, 10:54 AM
@Laridian - well said. Supergirl might introduce the space aspect of the dcu. And this might introduce the horror and the dark corners of this world on which Batman belongs to. Who knows, might add some spice of magic with Zatanna and even Constantine (not saying they are here. Just the concepts for now)
CaptainDC
CaptainDC - 9/9/2025, 11:17 AM
@Laridian - So we’re using Creature Commandos, an animated show, to justify a Gotham feature film? Come on. Nobody sees this cartoon as the cornerstone of the DCU’s biggest city.

And Werewolf by Night? That was a one-off holiday special Marvel tossed on Disney+. Loved it but it's been completely meaningless to the MCU. Holding that up as precedent for Clayface is laughable.

Being brutally hoenst, Gotham doesn’t exist in the DCU because of Clayface. It exists because of Batman. Without him, a Clayface movie will just be sitting through two hours waiting for a Batman reference instead of caring about Clayface or what he means to the future of the DCU
Laridian
Laridian - 9/9/2025, 11:34 AM
@CaptainDC - So, just completely ignore the fact that Flanagan wanted to make the film. Just like Giacchino wanted to make his film. The point was (and I really thought this was clear) that we're collaborating with great creators and building a fully-fleshed out universe. Batman will show up. Have patience. We've had a dozen Batman movies. Let someone else get the spotlight for once.
PatchesOhulihan
PatchesOhulihan - 9/9/2025, 12:40 PM
@Laridian - I agree with letting someone else get the spot light, but Clayface? Why not Green Arrow or nightwing?

Why not Phantom Stranger? He could be the glue that connects all these DCU movies together, as he tries to bring certain events to come to pass to avoid a mega crisis?
Laridian
Laridian - 9/9/2025, 1:08 PM
@PatchesOhulihan - So, when Flanagan says he wants to make a CLAYFACE movie, you gonna say, 'No, why don't you make a Green Arrow movie instead?' lol
bobevanz
bobevanz - 9/9/2025, 10:54 AM
Where'd @FantasticClunge go? Where'd all those trolls go? Womp womp lol
CaptainDC
CaptainDC - 9/9/2025, 11:18 AM
@Laridian - So we’re using Creature Commandos, an animated show, to justify a Gotham feature film? Come on. Nobody sees this cartoon as the cornerstone of the DCU’s biggest city.

And Werewolf by Night? That was a one-off holiday special Marvel tossed on Disney+. Loved it but it's been completely meaningless to the MCU. Holding that up as precedent for Clayface is laughable.

Being brutally honest, Gotham doesn’t exist in the DCU because of Clayface. It exists because of Batman. Without him, a Clayface movie will just be sitting through two hours waiting for a Batman reference instead of caring about Clayface or what he means to the future of the DCU
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 9/9/2025, 10:58 AM
Cool!!.

If he isn’t original to the film then I could see that character being a version of Johnny Sabatino since he owns Club Vesuvius in the comics since I could also see them elevating that minor villain for this film.

User Comment Image

Still not sure who the actor is , I thought it was David Dencik who is a Swedish/Danish actor but I’m unsure about that now.
WalletsClosed
WalletsClosed - 9/9/2025, 11:35 AM
This movie is automatically DOA and will be one of the biggest box office failures of all time, same with Supergirl.

Reboot the MCU and DCU
TheJester187
TheJester187 - 9/9/2025, 11:42 AM
@WalletsClosed - shut your hating ass up goofy bitch! You don’t know shit.
WalletsClosed
WalletsClosed - 9/9/2025, 11:44 AM
@TheJester187 - Cry more
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 9/9/2025, 11:46 AM
@TheJester187 -

Your reply made me laugh. You are completely correct, but it's funny how you worded it.
BillyBatson1000
BillyBatson1000 - 9/9/2025, 12:36 PM
@WalletsClosed - @Griff, is that you?
WalletsClosed
WalletsClosed - 9/9/2025, 12:51 PM
@BillyBatson1000 - Who?
BillyBatson1000
BillyBatson1000 - 9/9/2025, 12:55 PM
@WalletsClosed - Just another guy who regularly preached: "Reboot the MCU and DCU."
WalletsClosed
WalletsClosed - 9/9/2025, 1:16 PM
@BillyBatson1000 - Great minds think alike

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