CLAYFACE Test Screening Reactions Are In, Run-Time Revealed, and Aaron Paul Reportedly Joins DCU Horror Film
DC Studios is taking a big swing with Clayface, and if the first reactions from a recent test screening are any indication, the studio may have something genuinely unique on its hands.
A test screening for the upcoming DCU movie was held this week, and early word suggests audiences responded very positively to what is shaping up to be DC Studios' first true horror film.
According to reports, Clayface has drawn comparisons to films such as Joker, Vanilla Sky, The Substance, and even The Incredible Hulk. That's quite a mix of influences, blending psychological drama, body horror, tragedy, and monster movie elements into one package.
The current cut of the film is also said to clock in at 1 hour and 50 minutes. Adding another interesting wrinkle to the story, reports claim that Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad, Invincible) has joined the cast in a minor role. No details have surfaced regarding who he might be playing,
Some additional details from the screening have also emerged. Apparently, Batman doesn't appear in the movie and isn't even referenced. There are reportedly no surprise DCU cameos either, soClayface is focused entirely on telling its own self-contained story.
Fans expecting the giant, full-bodied transformations commonly associated with the villain may want to adjust their expectations.
Reports indicate there are no "full body transformations." Instead, Matt Hagen's powers reportedly manifest through disturbing physical mutations during moments of emotional instability. When consumed by rage, parts of his body transform, allowing for violent and uncontrollable attacks.
While an expanded plot synopsis has been making the rounds online, its authenticity remains unconfirmed. Still, it paints a picture of a dark and tragic descent for the character:
"Once the world's most beloved actor, Matt Hagen's glamorous life is shattered when a forbidden affair with a Gotham City mob boss's wife leads to his brutal disfigurement.
“Desperate to reclaim his shattered identity and his prized looks, Matt turns to a mysterious female doctor who administers an experimental, underground drug.
“However, the miracle cure comes with a horrifying price: triggered by deep sorrow, trauma, and fits of rage, Matt's face begins to melt, slowly transforming him into a monstrous entity.
“Now a fugitive hunted by the government after taking violent revenge on the mobsters who ruined his life, Matt's grip on sanity slips. He forms a twisted, obsessive bond with the doctor who treated him, eliminating anyone who stands in their way—including her husband.
“As she realizes the horrifying consequences of her experiment and attempts to stop him once and for all, Matt survives, setting the stage for a dark, tragic psychological thriller about vanity, heartbreak, and a deadly obsession."
That story aligns with what we've seen from the film's teaser footage. The preview featured a bloodied and heavily bandaged Matt Hagen, played by Tom Rhys Harries, recovering in a hospital bed while flashes of the brutal attack that ruined his life played across the screen.
The footage also teased some of the character's horrifying abilities, including a shadowy glimpse of Hagen transforming his arm into a spiked mace-like weapon. The teaser ended on an especially unsettling image of the actor sitting in a bathtub and literally wiping his own face away with his hand.
The project originated from an idea brought directly to DC Studios co-head James Gunn by acclaimed horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan, and Gunn explained how the movie came together, saying:
"Mike Flanagan is somebody who I've been friendly with for a long time, and he wrote me about Clayface," Gunn said. "He texted me about it really early on in my DC journey. Just being honest, I did not think that was something that was going to happen, but he came in, and he pitched the idea, and I was like, 'Oh s---! That's cool.'
“It's a body-horror movie. It's a horror movie that, like any cool body-horror movie, just happens to be in the DCU. And then he wrote the script, and the script was fantastic. We did not plan to do Clayface. That was really something he brought to us."
That's probably the most exciting thing about this project. Instead of trying to force a traditional superhero formula onto the character, the creative team appears to be embracing the tragic monster roots that have always made Clayface one of Batman's most fascinating villains.
DC Studios describes the film as the story of a rising Hollywood star whose life spirals into horror as he transforms into a revenge-driven monster.
With themes centered on identity, lost humanity, obsession, and scientific ambition gone wrong, Clayface sounds less like a traditional comic book movie and more like a full-blown psychological horror thriller that just happens to exist in the DC Universe.
I can’t wait to watch this movie!