CLAYFACE Popcorn Buckets Tease a Gnarly First Look at Matt Hagen's Monster Form
DC Studios might be trying to keep Clayface's monstrous appearance a secret until the movie hits theaters, but it looks like the popcorn buckets have other plans!
Two new collectible popcorn buckets for Clayface have surfaced, and they appear to offer our best look yet at Matt Hagen's terrifying transformation into the iconic Batman villain.
DC Studios has been careful not to reveal Hagen's fully transformed appearance in the movie's marketing, making these collectibles particularly interesting. While it's possible the designs don't perfectly represent his final look, they certainly seem to give fans a taste of the creature waiting for them on the big screen.
We've already seen what Clayface can look like in the DC Universe thanks to the animated series Creature Commandos, but bringing that grotesque, shape-shifting villain into live-action horror territory is a whole different challenge.
The character has always been one of Batman's more visually disturbing enemies, and it'll be interesting to see just how far DC Studios pushes his monstrous design.
Of course, keeping a creature like Clayface completely hidden was always going to be difficult once the merchandise started rolling out. You can't exactly sell a monster-themed popcorn bucket without showing the monster!
Along with the collectibles, DC Studios has released a new "tickets on sale" featurette and additional posters promoting the upcoming horror film.
Meanwhile, Tom Rhys Harries, who plays Matt Hagen, recently spoke with Interview Magazine about his experience preparing for the role, including how he dealt with the stress of the lengthy audition process.
His preferred escape was a video game that isn't exactly known for being relaxing. "I played Elden Ring to switch my brain off during the three months I was screen testing for Clayface," he explained. "It probably talks to my level of anxiety throughout that period."
Anyone who's spent time getting repeatedly destroyed in Elden Ring can appreciate the irony of using that game to unwind.
Harries also shared his enthusiasm for the film's screenplay, describing a story that sounds considerably more tragic and character-driven than your typical comic book monster movie.
"I love the script. They’ve built these three brilliant acts. It’s almost like a Greek tragedy. There’s so much depth, it just gives you scope to be exploring loads of things that feel endless because human beings are endless."
Rather than just introducing another superpowered villain, Clayface has an opportunity to explore the psychological and physical horror of a man losing his humanity as he transforms into something terrifying.
It's a great direction for a character whose abilities could easily make him the centerpiece of a disturbing body horror movie.
As for the box office, early tracking suggests Clayface won’t deliver a massive opening weekend. However, with a reported production budget of $40 million, DC Studios doesn't necessarily need superhero blockbuster numbers for the film to become a financial success.
The smaller budget also makes this an interesting project for the DCU, giving the studio room to explore a different kind of comic book movie without the enormous financial expectations attached to its bigger releases.
I'm curious to see how much of Hagen's monstrous transformation the movie actually shows and whether the final design lives up to the character's comic book appearance.
For now, these popcorn buckets might be our clearest indication of what DC Studios has created.
Clayface arrives in theaters on October 23. Check out the new Clayface popcorn buckets, featurette, and posters below, and let us know what you think of the monster's apparent design!