SPEAK NO EVIL Director James Watkins Set To Helm Mike Flanagan's DC Film CLAYFACE
Speak No Evil director James Watkins is confirmed to direct DC Studios’ Clayface movie, the script of which comes from filmmaker Mike Flanagan.
Watkins was rumored to be in the running for the directing gig last week, along with Jeff Wadlow (Kick-Ass 2,T ruth or Dare).
It was previously reported that “The lead protagonist is not expected to be portrayed as the notorious villain he’s known as in the Batman canon.” So, this version of Clayface be unlike anything we’ve seen before in Batman.
On the production side, James Gunn and Peter Safran are leading the charge, alongside The Batman’s Matt Reeves and Lynn Harris.
Flanagan previously shared that he would be “really keen to do a standalone Clayface movie as a horror/thriller/tragedy.” He later shared that he actually pitched that movie to Warner Bros., saying: "They didn't bite on that one. Though I'm ready to go anytime."
In another interview, Flanagan talked about his initial pitch meeting with the studio about Clayface being a horror movie, and that wasn’t the only DC movie that they talked about. He said:
“I went into Warner Bros. to have the meeting about DC. It was a general meeting with [producer] Jon Berg talking about whether there was anything in the DC Universe that I could be a fit for… I really want[ed] to do Clayface.
“I went in and said, ‘You know, if you want to do some horror-leaning DC stuff, boy do I have a great take on Clayface. I’d love to do that movie.'”
In the comics, Clayface first appeared in Detective Comics #40 back in June 1940. The original version of the character was an actor who turned to crime, adopting the persona of one of his horror roles. Over the years, the character evolved, becoming a monstrous figure made of a strange, shape-shifting clay-like substance.
I’m excited about this movie and it will be interesting to see who ultimatley lands up in the director’s chair. Which of these two directors would you like to see take it on?
Clayface is set to be released in theaters on September 11th, 2026.
Source: Deadline
