CLAYFACE Set Photo Teases Gotham’s Chaos and a Possible Joker Connection
DC Studios has yet to reveal its new Batman, but Gotham City may already be setting the stage for his greatest enemy. While The Batman: Part II continues as an Elseworlds story apart from The Brave and the Bold, the upcoming Clayface movie will be our first true exploration of the Dark Knight’s world in James Gunn’s DCU.
Filming for Clayface is underway in Liverpool, England, and a new set photo has caught fans’ attention. A flyer spotted on location reads:
“Corruption is the ENEMY of the people. March against the GCPD. JOIN THE JOKER.”
It’s impossible to know if this is a meaningful story element or just background detail, but the message hints at Gotham residents rallying behind the Clown Prince of Crime.
If the DCU’s Joker is an anarchic symbol of resistance, this could point to a city already entrenched in chaos long before Bruce Wayne steps into the spotlight.
With The Brave and the Bold set to focus on Batman training his son Damian as Robin, it’s clear the Caped Crusader has been protecting Gotham for years. That means many of his iconic rogues, including the Joker, are already established in this continuity.
During a press run for Superman back in July, Gunn described how Clayface will stand apart from other DCU projects:
"We've got Clayface, which is a totally different thing. Although it's in the same universe, it's a complete horror film. That's one of the things we want to do; there's no company style."
He added:
"It's not like every movie is going to be like Superman. The artists, the directors and the writers, each one will bring their own sense to it. That's what we want to bring to the films because we don't want people to get bored."
This confirms Clayface won’t just be a standard comic book adaptation. Instead, it will lean into horror while still planting seeds for the larger Gotham mythos. If this Joker reference turns out to be more than a background detail, it could be our first real tease of the DCU’s take on Batman’s most infamous foe.
The film will star newcomer Tom Rhys Harries in the lead role, alongside Eddie Marsan, Max Minghella, and Naomi Ackie in undisclosed parts. Clayface is currently set to hit theaters on September 11, 2026.
So, could this poster be a hint that Joker has already made his mark on Gotham in the DCU, or is it just a fun little Easter egg? We’ll eventually find out!