‘Clayface’ Reveals Gruesome New Look as Matt Hagen’s Face Begins to Melt

Gotham’s rogues gallery is filled with tragic monsters, and few are as grotesque as ‘Clayface’. This shape-shifting villain stands alongside the Riddler, the Joker, and Catwoman in Batman’s infamous lineup of foes. His highly anticipated big-screen debut is set to dive deep into the horror side of the superhero genre.

The project has been unique from the beginning. Directed by James Watkins, the film features a story by Mike Flanagan and is produced by Matt Reeves, James Gunn, and Peter Safran. It is officially part of the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.

Recently, DC Film News shared a chilling new image of ‘Clayface’ on X, describing it as a “horrifying” new look and reminding fans that the movie hits theaters on October 23. The post quickly garnered around 63K views shortly after its release.

The image is genuinely shocking. It features a blond man in extreme close-up, wearing a calm, almost pleasant smirk, while one side of his face appears to be melting away. His skin looks waxy and wet, and the pale blue eye on the affected side is surrounded by raw red, making the unsettling transformation the film promises easy to envision.

This tone aligns with the story being told. A rising movie star named Matt Hagen is brutally disfigured and then volunteers as a test subject to restore his original face, only to suffer horrifying side effects that turn his body into living clay. The character’s journey is depicted as a fall from a Gotham street kid to a Hollywood leading man, tragically cut short by a local crime boss.

The cast is impressive, featuring Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen/Clayface, Naomi Ackie as Caitlyn Corr, and Max Minghella as John Borrelli, along with David Dencik and Eddie Marsan. This deep casting suggests the studio aims for the human drama to resonate as strongly as the horror elements.

Marketing has been surprisingly subtle, making each new image feel like a significant event. Screen Rant noted that there have been only a few trailers, and the film has remained largely under wraps, possibly to keep Hagen’s final form a surprise. A still like this one offers fans a glimpse of the body horror without revealing the full monster.

On the comics front, several DC books set to release in October will feature ‘Clayface’ movie tie-in variant covers illustrated by legendary artists. Additionally, Absolute Batman has introduced its own new ‘Clayface’ design, both of which delve deep into the character’s horror roots.

Behind the scenes, the production appears lean by superhero standards. Filming took place from late August to early November 2025 in Liverpool and on soundstages at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, with a reported budget of around $40 million. Volker Bertelmann is set to compose the score, hinting at a moody, unsettling soundscape to complement the visuals.

The film also faces stiff competition, opening alongside eight other films nationwide, including ‘Wicker’, ‘Wildwood’, and ‘Klara and the Sun’. A striking image like this one could help ‘Clayface’ stand out in the crowded landscape.

For now, this new look accomplishes what a good horror teaser should: it leaves fans captivated by that half-melted smile and questioning how far the transformation will go by the time the credits roll.