CLAYFACE Set Photos Reveal Tom Rhys Harries Hiding a Sinister New Look in Gotham City
A fresh batch of set photos from Clayface has surfaced, and they give us our clearest look yet at Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen. The images show the disfigured actor covering his scarred face with a mask while leaving the hospital, surrounded by reporters in the streets of Gotham City.
The photos, captured in Liverpool which is standing in for Gotham, paint a grim picture of Hagen’s transformation. After previously seeing him bloodied and rushed to the hospital, these new shots capture his first public appearance since the attack that destroyed his once-handsome features. His mask may be hiding the damage, but it’s clear Hagen is in no mood to face the cameras.
Of course, fans of the character know where this is headed. With Hagen’s career and identity shattered, it’s only a matter of time before he turns to the infamous Clayface formula in a desperate attempt to restore his good looks. But as history tells us, that quest rarely ends well.
Back in July, official details confirmed: "Hagen is a handsome, up-and-coming actor who’s attacked and disfigured. Originally from Gotham, he moves to Hollywood to escape his troubled past and begin a career as an actor. With his disfigurement, his career and outlet as an actor is ruined and is eventually transformed into a shapeshifting monster."
What’s still a mystery is how this version of Clayface will connect to the wider DC Universe. Fans are already speculating whether Hagen is tied to the same grotesque version we met in Creature Commandos who had an odd obsession with the Amazons of Themyscira.
Comic book readers will remember that Matt Hagen was the second Clayface, first appearing as an adventurer who stumbled into a radioactive pool of protoplasm. Batman: The Animated Series later reimagined him as an actor addicted to a dangerous anti-aging cream created by Roland Daggett. That take ultimately became the blueprint for the Clayface most fans recognize today.
James Gunn, co-CEO of DC Studios, has made it clear this film will be a very different beast:
"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. It's not like every movie is going to be like Superman."
He went on to explain the creative freedom behind the new wave of DC projects:
"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."
Alongside Harries, Eddie Marsan and Max Minghella will also appear in the film, though their roles remain under wraps.
Clayface is shaping up to be one of the boldest entries in DC’s upcoming lineup, and the horror-driven take on the character could deliver something truly unique. The film is currently set to hit theaters on September 11, 2026.