DC Studios dropped the teaser trailer for Clayface on April 22, 2026, and the internet is reacting. The minute-long footage shows Tom Rhys Harries transforming into one of Gotham City’s most disturbing villains. The trailer quickly spread across social media with viewers talking about its scary tone and body horror images. The film will reach theaters on October 23, 2026, right before Halloween.
Which DC Villain Is Tom Rhys Harries Playing in 2026?
Tom Rhys Harries plays Matt Hagen, the actor who becomes Clayface. This version of the character first appeared in Detective Comics in the 1960s. Hagen is a rising Hollywood star whose face gets destroyed in a knife attack. He agrees to an experimental medical procedure from a scientist played by Naomi Ackie. The treatment gives him shape-shifting powers but slowly turns his entire body into living clay. The official synopsis says the movie follows Hagen from promising actor to a monster seeking revenge. It explores losing your identity, broken love, and the dangerous side of science.
Trailer Goes Viral With Terrifying Reactions From DC Fans
The teaser opens with Hagen lying in a hospital bed, his face wrapped in bloody bandages. Quick cuts show the attack that destroyed his face, the strange chemicals injected into his body, and his face melting into different shapes. One shot shows him wiping his entire face off while sitting in a bathtub. Another shows his shadow as his hand changes into a large fist shaped like a mace.
Social media users flooded X with their reactions right after the trailer came out.
“Clayface looks absolutely incredible. A truly scary spin on one of Batman’s coolest villains,” one user wrote.
Another viewer called it a “beautifully dark twisted trailer with a creepy horror remix” of The Flaming Lips’ song “Do You Realize??” Many people compared the footage to films like Darkman, The Substance, and The Fly.
What Makes This DC Movie Different From Other Superhero Films
Clayface is DC Studios’ first horror movie. Directors James Gunn and Peter Safran, who run DC Studios, approved this project after reading a script by Mike Flanagan (Doctor Sleep, The Haunting of Hill House) and Hossein Amini (Drive). Gunn reportedly said the studio had no plans for a Clayface movie, but Flanagan turned in a script that became one of the best they had ever read.
James Watkins (Speak No Evil, The Woman in Black) directs the film. The movie carries an expected R rating, which is rare for superhero movies. Safran said Clayface may not be as well known as The Joker or The Penguin, but his story feels just as powerful and even more frightening. Gunn described the film as “true and psychological and body horror and gross.”
Matt Reeves, who directed The Batman, serves as a producer on this project. The cast also includes Max Minghella, David Dencik, Eddie Marsan, Nancy Carroll, and Joshua James.
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Mixed Reactions Online as Debate Grows
Not everyone loves the new direction. Some viewers questioned why DC would make a movie about a Batman villain without Batman in it. Others said the concept feels incomplete without the Dark Knight. A few critics pointed out that DC keeps changing genres instead of traditional superhero storytelling. Some social media users said they will wait for reviews before deciding to see the film, showing hesitation about the studio’s recent movies.
Clayface arrives after Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow on June 26, 2026. Both films are part of the second wave of DC Studios releases under Gunn and Safran, following Superman from 2025. The movie will release in theaters and IMAX in North America on October 23, 2026, and internationally starting October 21, 2026. International release dates cover major markets including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and India.
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