James Gunn Reveals How CLAYFACE Came Together So Quickly And What It Means For THE BATMAN PART II

James Gunn Reveals How CLAYFACE Came Together So Quickly And What It Means For THE BATMAN PART II

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has addressed the decision to add a Clayface movie to the "Gods and Monsters" slate, explaining how it came together so quickly and what it means for The Batman Part II...

By JoshWilding - Dec 21, 2024 07:12 AM EST
Filed Under: Batman
Source: io9

Earlier this month, we learned that a Clayface movie will arrive in theaters on September 11, 2026. Midnight Mass and Doctor Sleep's Mike Flanagan has penned the screenplay, though no director or star is attached at this time.

Shortly after the news broke, DC Studios co-CEO and Superman director James Gunn took to social media to confirm, "Exciting news out of [DC] Studios today as [Clayface], a DCU story from a script by Mike Flanagan, has been OFFICIALLY greenlit. Clayface premieres in 2026."

While Clayface certainly fits into the "Monsters" part of "Gods and Monsters," many fans have questioned why it's coming before projects like Swamp Thing and Boster Gold, for example. 

Talking to io9, the filmmaker explained that the project has been in the works for longer than anyone realises. 

"I didn’t plan on making a Clayface movie," he started. "Mike came in. He pitched this wonderful idea. I was like, 'Damn, I can’t believe you got me to want to make a Clayface movie.' But he’s got to write the script and who knows how that’s going to work."

"He goes and he writes the script. First draft is great. Second draft is even better. And then I’m like, 'Let’s do it,'" Gunn continued. "So we found a place for it because if there’s quality stuff, we can find a way to work it in."

Pushed on what it means that Clayface is being released the month before Matt Reeves' The Batman Part II, he said, "Well, I mean, Clayface is in the DCU so it doesn’t matter." Whether the DCU's Dark Knight will appear remains to be seen, especially as work appears to be progressing slowly on The Brave and the Bold.

Gunn later reiterated that not every movie and TV show we've heard about is guaranteed to happen. 

"There are lots of things that are getting reported that I haven’t green-lit and I haven’t said okay too," he explained. "Some of those are true in terms of they’re in development, and some of them are not true. [And just] because they’re in development, that doesn’t mean I’m going to make that movie. There’s a lot of things people seem to be counting on that it may be unwise to count on."

Here's what the confirmed DCU slate currently looks like:

Superman – July 11, 2025
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow – June 26, 2026
Clayface – September 11, 2026
Dynamic Duo – June 30, 2028

About The Author:
JoshWilding
Member Since 3/13/2009
Comic Book Reader. Film Lover. WWE and F1 Fan. Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic and ComicBookMovie.com's #1 contributor.
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