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

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BraveNewClunge
BraveNewClunge - 12/21/2024, 7:12 AM
Translation 'oh reeves wants to do clayface, lets fast track the DCU version' 😅

Either way I can't see Reeves making a comic accurate clayface in his grounded universe so they'll be totally different.
dragon316
dragon316 - 12/21/2024, 7:31 AM
@BraveNewClunge - he doesn’t need be comic accurate just look good comic accuate is not always good thing with fans thor costume love and thunder , taskmaster , modok , war machine don cheadle is foot shorter to Jim in comics with less muscle , captain America costume in sequels not spandex it’s Kevlar , black widow modern books always red hair in movie she was blonde
TheWinkler
TheWinkler - 12/21/2024, 7:56 AM
@BraveNewClunge - My thing with Reeves supposedly doing Clayface is...why? I feel like a big part of the character is the transformation into the fictitious monster that we all mentally picture when we hear the name "Clayface" and I don't see where that fits at all into what Reeves has crafted without overhauling the major point of the characters design.

With that being said, I fully trust that whatever Reeves does will be great, even if it is Clayface.
BraveNewClunge
BraveNewClunge - 12/21/2024, 8:37 AM
@TheWinkler - yeah exactly, I think he'd do him justice but it won't the traditional Clayface that DCU universe's version is likely to be / look like.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 12/21/2024, 11:46 AM
@BraveNewClunge - except Flannigan had been working on his script longer than Reeves, who still can't finish Bat 2. So whk is copying who??
BraveNewClunge
BraveNewClunge - 12/21/2024, 12:36 PM
@McMurdo - gunn is copying.

There, i said it 😌
harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 12/21/2024, 7:12 AM
User Comment Image
BillyBatson1000
BillyBatson1000 - 12/21/2024, 7:26 AM
@harryba11zack - So, your take? Clayface. He's just a guy, obsessed with making pots - and NO ONE can stop him?
harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 12/21/2024, 7:50 AM
@BillyBatson1000 - yes.
JustAWaffle
JustAWaffle - 12/21/2024, 10:37 AM
@BillyBatson1000 - Classic Clayface
BillyBatson1000
BillyBatson1000 - 12/21/2024, 12:21 PM
@harryba11zack - An absolute degenerate!
MosquitoFarmer
MosquitoFarmer - 12/21/2024, 7:58 AM
Let the internet crowd go needlessly run amuck over this news.
No need to wait, just give it a second and you'll get your wait's worth.
CerealKiller1
CerealKiller1 - 12/21/2024, 8:03 AM
Isn’t Dynamic Duos an Elseworlds?
ElJefe
ElJefe - 12/21/2024, 8:33 AM
@CerealKiller1 - No it’s DCU but it is animated
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 12/21/2024, 8:40 AM
@CerealKiller1 - I think it’s meant to be Elseworlds
Forthas
Forthas - 12/21/2024, 8:35 AM
Reeves had no plan to use Clayface. He made a nod to the character when he introduced Eve Karlo. That is the extent of his use of the character. He is not going to delve into that level of fantasy.
TheJok3r
TheJok3r - 12/21/2024, 8:47 AM
@Forthas - If he does; it'll be the Golden Age version of the character who's a serial killer. He had no superpowers or anything like that.
BruceWayng
BruceWayng - 12/21/2024, 9:40 AM
I’m cracking up at the news that this is happening. There were soooo many people on here clamoring on about how they wanted to see a live action Clayface and bitching and whining and whining and bitching how it’s never going to happen bc Reeves take is “too gritty and hyper realistic”
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 12/21/2024, 9:52 AM
Considering Gunn is more focused on worldbuilding it seems then building a narrative with a big bad , projects like these in the DCU would help that so if a filmmaker comes in to do a pitch then writes a script he likes then as he said he’s willing to do it which I think is cool…

It encourages creatives to come in and play in the DC sandbox which is something they need right now.

Anyway on another note , I still do think doing that slate announcement video in hindsight wasn’t a good idea since most of those still seem to be in development and not officially greenlit so if one gets cancelled then it could be egg on their face.
vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 12/21/2024, 9:57 AM
In my book, getting great creatives is the way.

No amount of bad suits or haircuts will beat that. People can nitpick all they want. Lolz
CharlesLeeRay
CharlesLeeRay - 12/21/2024, 11:29 AM

This is why Warner always fails DC. This is the equivalent of Marvel Studios making a Mole Man movie in phase 1-3.
HulkisHoly
HulkisHoly - 12/21/2024, 12:18 PM
@CharlesLeeRay -

See I disagree. The mcu had a lot stinkers that we overlooked even pre EG. sure they got worse post EG, but there were still stinkers, iron man 2, IH, Thor 1 was mid, IM 3 was mid, Thor 2 was bad, ant man was subpar, avengers 2 was a let down, Dr strange was underwhelming, ant man 2 was trash and so was cap marvel.

Those movies were contractually obligated at best, and at worst, were just made to introduce one character or plot device for IW-EG.

Whereas Gunn is more concerned about making quality movies then just setting up the next plot device. Which is much better in my opinion because look at what happened to the MCU post EG, it’s aimless and sucks.


NinnesMBC
NinnesMBC - 12/22/2024, 12:30 AM
Remember back when he took charge one of the first things he was critical was of the way WB/DC would give to whoever came and asked for any of the IP's characters without any restriction as the main reason why all was a mess? Well, how is this any different? Flanagan showed up the moment Gunn became co-CEO, asked for Clayface because he had a pitch and viola, the job was his.

It's a double standard tbh. And not a good one.

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