UPDATE: The latest box office update suggests that Clayface is now on track to end the weekend with $25 million. DC Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery projected a $25 million to $30 million start, so even though it's on the lower end, this still falls within expectations.
Overseas may be a different matter. According to Exhibitor Relations Co., Clayface is "silly putty overseas—just $4.3M Friday in 76 markets on over 13k screens." While not confirmed, that could lead to a $15 million to $20 million start internationally, which would be a $40+ million global bow.
If the positive word of mouth has a similar impact to Obsession, then Clayface will make plenty of money heading into Halloween. However, should it suffer a 50% to 60% drop (the norm for most superhero movies), then it will be a challenge—but not impossible—for the latest DCU title to break even; to do so, the R-rated horror title needs to finish its run with an estimated $110 million.
Only time will tell whether Clayface becomes another huge breakout box office success for the horror genre, but the R-rated DC Studios movie has struck a chord with moviegoers.
Clayface has been awarded an A- CinemaScore, an impressive achievement for both the DC brand and horror movies. In terms of the former, it matches Superman, The Batman, Aquaman, and Man of Steel.
More impressive is that Clayface is one of the only post-COVID horror movies to receive an A-, putting it on par with A Quiet Place 2, Weapons, Five Nights at Freddy's, and even Obsession. In terms of critical reception, this is the win DC Studios needed after the tepid response to Supergirl in June.
James Gunn took to Threads for a victory lap, writing, "Really proud of this. Sinners is the only horror movie to have EVER gotten an A Cinemascore, and only three horror movies have gotten an A- in the last couple years -- Obsession, Weapons, and, now, Clayface. As always, all praise goes to James, Mike, Hossein, Tom, Naomi and the whole gang."
With 76% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a glowing 94% audience score, things look good for Clayface on that front. In terms of box office, Deadline reports that after a $9.5 million Friday (including $3.5 million from previews), it's now eyeing a $23 million to $25 million opening weekend in North America.
This is a weak result for the DC brand, but a solid performance for a horror movie. In fact, it's in the same ballpark as Smile and Black Phone 2, which went on to earn $355.5 million and $132.2 million, respectively. Needless to say, numbers like that would be a huge win for a title that only cost $44 million to produce.
While Clayface should open at #1, You Can See Everything is nipping at its heels with an estimated $19+ million second weekend. Laika's Wildwood, meanwhile, is in third place with an expected $11 million haul. Street Fighter, however, has slipped down the charts for a $9.5 million second frame.
We concluded our Clayface review by saying, "Tom Rhys Harries shines in Clayface, an uninspired and unoriginal movie that's too light on horror and lacking in comic book personality to be anything but forgettable. It should have been a game-changer for the genre; instead, it's DC's Morbius moment."
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.
Directed by James Watkins from a screenplay by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, Clayface is now playing in theaters.