CLAYFACE... The Musical? Tom Rhys Harries' Matt Hagen Dances And Makes Shadow Puppets In Latest Set Videos

CLAYFACE... The Musical? Tom Rhys Harries' Matt Hagen Dances And Makes Shadow Puppets In Latest Set Videos

We're not entirely sure what's going on in these latest videos from the set of DC Studios' Clayface movie, but they certainly make for an intriguing watch...

By MarkCassidy - Sep 04, 2025 10:09 AM EST
Filed Under: Clayface

As production continues on DC Studios' Clayface in Liverpool, England, these latest photos and video from the set have left people wondering what exactly could be going on in the scenes being filmed.

The video shows star Tom Rhys Harries out and about in Gotham's fair city as Matt Hagen, dancing on the steps of the courthouse to Fred Astaire's rendition of "The Way You Look Tonight" from the movie Swing Time. A large spotlight is shining directly on the pillars, and Harries can be seen making shadow puppets.

A cardboard cutout of the original Nosferatu was also spotted, with the vampire's unmistakable silhouette cast on the building.

Have DC Studios and director James Watkins taken a page out of Joker: Folie à Deux's playbook and turned Clayface into a musical? We'd say that's highly unlikely given the reception that met the recent Elseworlds sequel, but what we are looking at here is hard to say.

There's speculation that this might be a dream sequence, or that Hagen has transformed into Clayface at this stage, and is having some fun with his new shape-shifting abilities.

Check out the photos and clips at the links below, and let us know what you think.

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."

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.

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 recently 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 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 Set Photos Reveal Close-Up Look At Matt Hagen's Bloody, Broken Face
Related:

CLAYFACE Set Photos Reveal Close-Up Look At Matt Hagen's Bloody, Broken Face

CLAYFACE Set Photos Reveal Gotham City Map And Some Iconic Locations - But Is It The Same As THE BATMAN?
Recommended For You:

CLAYFACE Set Photos Reveal Gotham City Map And Some Iconic Locations - But Is It The Same As THE BATMAN?

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

This post was submitted by a user who has agreed to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. ComicBookMovie.com will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. Please CONTACT US for expeditious removal of copyrighted/trademarked content. CLICK HERE to learn more about our copyright and trademark policies.

Note that ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

bobevanz
bobevanz - 9/4/2025, 10:33 AM
Brain rot time. Of course it won't be a [frick]ing musical.
braunermegda
braunermegda - 9/4/2025, 10:34 AM
Imagine if Tim Burton's Batman released today and people said it'd be a musical because the Joker dances in one scene
mountainman
mountainman - 9/4/2025, 10:40 AM
The main character is an actor. It seems logical that there may be scenes of him acting in it.
PC04
PC04 - 9/4/2025, 10:40 AM
Joker and Clayface battle for worst Musical in "ELSEWORLDS: BAD GUY SERENADE". RATED R.
NonPlayerC
NonPlayerC - 9/4/2025, 10:48 AM
@PC04 - wait, is this else worlds? or is this just set before creature commandos in DCU?
PC04
PC04 - 9/4/2025, 11:03 AM
@NonPlayerC - I think its DCU. I was just making a little joke.
NonPlayerC
NonPlayerC - 9/4/2025, 11:40 AM
@PC04 - let's hope, but it will be strange to have a clayface movie set in Gotham without batman in it. hope its good either way
MisterBones
MisterBones - 9/4/2025, 10:43 AM
Cue the Joker comparisons but Hagen is an actor so it would make sense that he performs some theatrics
User Comment Image
clogan
clogan - 9/4/2025, 10:47 AM
The character is an actor. It makes sense there'd be some theatrics involved.

Bait article.
WalletsClosed
WalletsClosed - 9/4/2025, 11:00 AM
@clogan - There's a difference between theatrics and a full on musical scene like the above
WalletsClosed
WalletsClosed - 9/4/2025, 10:58 AM
If it's a musical, even more of a DOA. Bad decision after bad decision. If it's a musical, this might flop worse than SuperDrunk

Reboot the MCU and DCU
DocSpock
DocSpock - 9/4/2025, 11:00 AM

Wow! This sounds WAY better than seeing that dumb Batman guy in a movie.

RealTurner
RealTurner - 9/4/2025, 11:25 AM
@DocSpock - And a mature horror movie will attract exactly the audience the new DCU needs!
ThorArms
ThorArms - 9/4/2025, 11:06 AM
The character is an actor...people that think this is a full blown musical after this set video are not very smart.
krayzeman
krayzeman - 9/4/2025, 11:25 AM
@ThorArms - It's the clickbait headline
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 9/4/2025, 11:20 AM
I could see this being after the moment that Matt’s gotten his face back in that Naomi Ackie’s scientist character has helped restore him to his old self but before things start to go very wrong again & his transformation into Clayface begins.

This is likely Matt celebrating with the “Way You Look Tonight” acknowledging his healed face while also being ironic since we know where it will go…

Anyway , I can definitely see the Joker influence here and wouldn’t be surprised if Watkins is taking inspiration from that (atleast the first one) given they are both “villain” origin stories.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 9/4/2025, 11:58 AM
Folly le Poo?

Please log in to post comments.

Don't have an account?
Please Register.

View Recorder