CLAYFACE Test Footage Shows Off That Incredible Practical Final Form Suit in Motion
DC Studios' Clayface may have gone with CGI for its monstrous final transformation, but some newly surfaced test footage is making a pretty convincing case for the practical suit that didn't make the cut. This thing looks absolutely horrifying, and seeing it move makes the design even more impressive.
The $40 million DC horror film has become a cult favorite and is closing in on $100 million at the box office. Fans have embraced Matt Hagen's grotesque transformation, filling social media with artwork, memes, and discussions about the character's terrifying appearance.
Recently, photos of an alternate Clayface final form created with practical effects made the rounds online, with fans debating whether the physical costume looked better than the CGI-heavy creature featured at the end of the movie.
Now, test footage has surfaced showing that incredible suit in action, and it's even creepier than the photos suggested.
According to DC Film News, the performer inside the suit is Spencer Wilding, an experienced stunt actor who played Darth Vader in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, doubled for Benicio Del Toro in director Joe Johnston's 2010 film The Wolfman, and portrayed Kilowog in the 2011 Green Lantern movie starring Ryan Reynolds.
The practical Clayface suit was created by KM Effects Ltd., and the amount of detail is seriously impressive. Watching Wilding move around in the massive costume gives you a much better appreciation for the craftsmanship involved.
The creature's twisted proportions, disturbing facial features, and unnatural movements make it look like something that crawled straight out of a nightmare. Even the simple moment when Wilding tilts his head and stares toward the camera is pretty unsettling.
It's wild how much personality he manages to bring to the monster through a physical performance. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean the practical suit would have worked better than CGI in the finished movie. Clayface's shape-shifting abilities present some obvious challenges, especially during the more elaborate transformation and action sequences.
Still, it's hard not to wish we'd gotten to see more of this version. The suit is an awesome achievement in practical creature effects, and it would be a shame if DC Studios never found another use for it.
With Clayface now established in the DC Universe, there's certainly an opportunity to bring the costume back for future appearances. A combination of practical effects for dialogue-heavy scenes and CGI for transformations could be a great way to handle the character going forward.
Imagine this version of Clayface facing Batman in The Brave and the Bold, or turning up in another DCU project, possibly even a future Suicide Squad movie. Having an actual creature on set could make those encounters feel even more intimidating.
For now, this test footage gives fans a cool look at what might have been, while showing just how effective practical monster effects can still be.