THE BATMAN Sequel Could Feature Clayface; Mike Flanagan Pitches WB On Solo Movie

THE BATMAN Sequel Could Feature Clayface; Mike Flanagan Pitches WB On Solo Movie

Could we Clayface in Matt Reeves' upcoming sequel to The Batman? As far-fetched as it sounds, the villain could well appear in the movie...

By MarkCassidy - Mar 29, 2023 04:03 PM EST
Filed Under: Batman

Out of all the Caped Crusader's classic villains, Clayface is one of the last we'd have expected to see in Matt Reeves' "BatVerse," but it seems there's a good chance the character could appear in the director's planned sequel to The Batman.

According to Deadline's sources, Clayface is "a big addition" to The Batman - Part II, although the trade does note that nothing is set in stone just yet as the script is "constantly changing."

The Haunting of Hill House and Doctor Sleep director Mike Flanagan has also pitched Warner Bros. Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran on a solo Clayface feature - but the character wouldn't be depicted as a villain.

Nothing has been officially greenlit yet, but "the studio has not said no."

Flanagan has been vocal about wanting to be involved in a Clayface project in the past, describing his hypothetical take as a “standalone horror/thriller/tragedy.”

We have no idea how a character like Clayface would factor into Reeves' relatively grounded interpretation of the Dark Knight's world, but we assume his shape-shifting abilities would be dropped and Basil Karlo (if that's who they go with) would be significantly reimagined.

What do you guys make of this news? Be sure to drop us a comment down below.

Flanagan Tweeted out the following update:
CLAYFACE Movie From Writer Mike Flanagan Rumored To Be Moving Forward At DC Studios
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CLAYFACE Movie From Writer Mike Flanagan Rumored To Be Moving Forward At DC Studios

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SorceresSupreme
SorceresSupreme - 3/29/2023, 4:44 PM
[frick]ing amazing news, this is
Himura
Himura - 3/29/2023, 4:47 PM
They already have the perfect setup too

dracula
dracula - 3/29/2023, 4:53 PM
Would probably be based on the golden age version
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 3/29/2023, 6:29 PM
@dracula - Yep...
kazuma
kazuma - 3/29/2023, 7:10 PM
@dracula - What is the difference between Golden Age and modern Clayface?
dracula
dracula - 3/29/2023, 7:19 PM
@kazuma - the original clayface wasn't a clay monster shape shifter, he was a make up artist and actor, based on Lon Chaney sr, who was killing actors who took his roles. the clayface persona was even a character he had played

could see them maybe upping his abilities a bit more, so that it's not just make up and costumes
kazuma
kazuma - 3/29/2023, 7:27 PM
@dracula - Ahh. That's kinda weird. Would make sense for this universe though. Shame that this might be the first and only version of Clayface we see on the big screen.
GarthRanzz
GarthRanzz - 3/29/2023, 10:58 PM
@kazuma - Why is it a shame? It would be a great direction to take if they arent going Hush or Owls.
kazuma
kazuma - 3/29/2023, 11:41 PM
@GarthRanzz - It'd be a shame if they went golden age instead of modern. Clayface is a cool character and I'd like to see him done right. And if his first appearance is just a make up artist then that'd be disappointing.

I want to see the the mud man and not the master of disguise.
GarthRanzz
GarthRanzz - 3/29/2023, 11:59 PM
@kazuma - I mean if it was Suicide Squad 3 or something I would agree. For Reeves I hope we stay grounded.
kazuma
kazuma - 3/30/2023, 12:23 AM
@GarthRanzz - We've had a grounded trilogy already. Why do it again? Why bother doing Golden Age Clayface at all? Just do Hush.
I liked The Batman. It's probably my favorite Batman film. But I and many other people want to see Batman actually fight comic book villains, instead of more people with mental problems. And The Batman doesn't have to be super grounded. Like, he took a bomb to the face and didn't have a scratch on him. He slammed into a bus from the top of a building and was fine.

Doing another grounded trilogy is legit a waste of time and money imo.
GarthRanzz
GarthRanzz - 3/30/2023, 12:50 AM
@kazuma - I think the Nolan movies had the right amount of sci-fi James Bondish stuff. I mean he had a flying car and a motorcycle that ejected from a car. He did a drop with his armored batsuit from a top of Wayne Tower to save Rachel. He turned every cell phone in gotham into sonar. Just because Bane was representice of how he was from 1994-2010 in comics (he didnt use Venom at all in that time frame) and no one ever established Lazarus Pits dont exist, just no one ever found Liam Neeson's desecrated remains to drop in a pit people state the Nolan Movies were grounded in realism. Yes they didnt have Man-Bats, Killer Croc, or Clayface, but to be honest those were more B-Level villains and outside of Zsasz the Nolan Trilogy concentrated on more A-Listers. Its not like they were parading out Cluemaster, Ventriloquist, or Firefly either.
maxx
maxx - 3/29/2023, 4:54 PM
this is an easy ‘yes’
n1ghtw1ng2832
n1ghtw1ng2832 - 3/29/2023, 4:55 PM
If they adapted the Batman TAS version in some shape or form it would be awesome.
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 3/29/2023, 6:50 PM
@n1ghtw1ng2832 - "in some shape or form"

FilmGuy7878
FilmGuy7878 - 3/29/2023, 4:55 PM
I feel like a Reeve's reimagining of Clayface would be a little something like this...

Basil Karlo is a stage actor. He dedicated his entire life to his performances and in every show he performed, it showed. But as he got older, many casting directors began to ignore him and cast him aside for younger, up-and-coming actors. To get more roles, Basil contacted a enigmatic chemist for a skin care formula he's been working on to make him look younger. He bought some and it worked for a bit but the formula began to have frighting side effects. Basil's cheeks began to sag like mud, his eyes sunken. He became more violent as the weeks went by, harassing his castmates and threating them if they ever take the spotlight from him. On the first show night of the most recent play he joined, "The Hunchback of Notre Damme", the formula's effects go into full swing. In front of millions, his face turned into malleable clay, his hair falling out, his fingers dripping with melted skin. A few days later, Basil's body was found hanged from a dressing room celling fan, leaving many to believe he had killed himself out of shame. In actuality, he faked his death and now lurks in the theater cellars, exacting his revenge on the ones who wronged him. The ones who have seen his "ghost" claims he was wearing a trenchcoat and a fedora but his face looked identical to whoever he murdered at the time. These reports gained him the name "The Clayface Phantom". From these murders, Batman starts an investigation...
TiberiousOmega
TiberiousOmega - 3/29/2023, 6:01 PM
@FilmGuy7878 - That would be a phenomenal take on the character.
Fares
Fares - 3/29/2023, 4:55 PM
I don't care what they choose to do

ThorArms
ThorArms - 3/29/2023, 4:56 PM
Let's get crazy. Clayface and introduce Mr. Freeze.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 3/30/2023, 5:16 AM
@ThorArms - I don't think Matt Reeves is gonna get as 'crazy' as you think. Oh he'll give you Clayface and Mr. Freeze, but not in the way you would want.
DannRamm113
DannRamm113 - 3/29/2023, 4:56 PM
Such a god damn shame Doctor Sleep failed at the box office.

It’s a great movie. Almost lives up to The Shining, which is one of my all timers.
TheRationalNerd
TheRationalNerd - 3/29/2023, 5:01 PM
Damn I wish Reeves Batman was part of the DCU
mountainman
mountainman - 3/29/2023, 5:02 PM
If this happens, Clayface will be more of an impersonation artist like Chameleon and not the giant morphing monster. I’m not necessarily opposed, but it would be nice to get a more fantastical Clayface on screen one day.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 3/30/2023, 5:18 AM
@mountainman - Golden Age Basil Karlo didn't even go as far as to impersonate anyone, as far as I recall.

He just dressed up as the monster from one of his plays.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 3/30/2023, 5:26 AM
mountainman
mountainman - 3/30/2023, 8:25 AM
@ObserverIO - Not as familiar with this version but it certainly feels more at joke in the Reeves verse.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 3/30/2023, 9:37 AM
@mountainman - I think the version in Batman: Earth One would be a good middle ground between the heavy realism of the first Reeves film and the goo monster from the comic.
1stDalek
1stDalek - 3/29/2023, 5:02 PM
Clayface, Mr Freeze, Man-Bat, give me all the crazy superpowered guys!
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 3/30/2023, 5:25 AM
@1stDalek - We might get some Man-Bats in Brave and the Bold if we're lucky.

marvel72
marvel72 - 3/29/2023, 5:02 PM
Clayface could be interesting new villain to see.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 3/29/2023, 6:32 PM
@marvel72 - I just want Scarface and Ventriloquist in a serious movie at some point. They don't even need to be the main villains. I just want to see them...
Chuck420Taylor
Chuck420Taylor - 3/29/2023, 8:40 PM
@CorndogBurglar - in this day and age that duo would kill in a thriller/horror movie. I actually want them solo without Batman.
GarthRanzz
GarthRanzz - 3/29/2023, 11:02 PM
@CorndogBurglar - Of the last few seasons of Gotham, their appearance was my favorite episode.
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