DCU’s ‘Clayface’ Movie Runtime Revealed — Fans Discover How Long the Horror Will Be

DC’s upcoming ‘Clayface’ is creating significant excitement even before tickets go on sale. According to DC Film News, early reactions from a test screening on June 19, shared by leaker account @Cryptic4KQual, indicate that the film resonated well with audiences, drawing comparisons to ‘Joker,’ ‘Vanilla Sky,’ ‘The Substance,’ and ‘The Incredible Hulk.’

The current runtime of the film is approximately one hour and fifty minutes, and reports suggest that the test screening was positively received. Notably, there are no appearances from Batman or other DCU characters, and Clayface’s transformations are depicted as limb-based, with Hagen shifting his arms during moments of rage.

The film centers on Matt Hagen, a rising actor whose face is disfigured by a gangster, leading him to seek out a scientist whose experimental treatment transforms his body into clay. Tom Rhys Harries stars as Hagen, alongside Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, and David Dencik, with James Watkins directing from a screenplay by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini.

Aaron Paul has also reportedly joined the cast in a minor role, though details about his character remain under wraps. The inclusion of the ‘Breaking Bad’ star adds to the mounting excitement surrounding a project that has consistently surprised genre fans since its announcement.

The comparison to ‘The Substance’ is particularly noteworthy. James Gunn has been candid about the film’s horror elements, revealing that ‘Clayface’ was not initially on DC Studios’ radar until Flanagan presented his pitch, stating that the filmmaker “came in with a pitch for Clayface that was like, ‘Wow, that is so cool.’ And then he wrote the screenplay and fulfilled doubly on that promise.

Gunn has praised Flanagan’s screenplay as an “amazing body horror film” that he and co-chairman Peter Safran would have eagerly produced, even if it had no connection to the DCU. This enthusiasm from the top of DC Studios is evident in the creative decisions made during production. Gunn has advocated for practical effects and makeup to bring Clayface to life on-screen rather than relying solely on post-production visual effects.

Flanagan has acknowledged that his script draws direct inspiration from the classic ‘Batman: The Animated Series’ two-parter ‘Feat of Clay,’ which originally depicted Matt Hagen’s origin story. This connection to the beloved animated series has clearly influenced the emotional and character-driven tone that early test audiences are responding to.

‘Clayface’ is set to release on October 23 and will be part of the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters slate, with filming having taken place in Liverpool and at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in England. If these early reactions hold true, DC may be on the path to delivering a genuinely unsettling crowd-pleaser that diverges from the traditional superhero formula.

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