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Clayface ending explained: How does it set up the character's DC Universe future?
The new film in James Gunn's rebooted franchise is going down well with fans so far.
Warner Bros
- Patrick Cremona
Published: Tuesday, 27 October 2026 at 3:12 pm
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(**WARNING: Contains major spoilers for Clayface**)
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New DC Universe film Clayface was released in UK cinemas last week (Friday 24 October), and so far it seems to be going down a treat with comic book fans.
Directed by James Watkins – from a script that was originally written by prolific horror writer Mike Flanagan – it introduces fans to Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries), the man who will eventually become the titular villain.
When the film opens, things are going extremely well for Matt. He's a hotshot actor who has just been nominated for an Academy Award, leading to a night of celebrations with childhood friend and fellow actor Corey Bowery (Joshua James).
But, almost immediately, things go rapidly downhill. While out celebrating, he meets and flirts with actress Mia Torrez (Joana Ribeiro), with whom he then spends the night.
The big problem is that Mia is the girlfriend of a prominent crime lord named Markos Szabo (David Dencik), who instantly gets his revenge by horrifically disfiguring Matt's face with a knife. Things are then made even worse when Mia gives a TV interview in which she lies that Matt had drugged her.
Without his looks – and with the serious allegations hanging over him – Matt's career opportunities dwindle. That is, until his life is drastically changed by an encounter with Dr Caitlyn Corr (Naomi Ackie), who has been working on an experimental procedure involving "nanites" that could cure his facial injuries.
But while it initially seems this could be just the ticket for Matt, it soon becomes clear that there are some less than ideal side effects, which sees the film lean heavily into body horror territory.
Seen the film and need a recap of how it all ends up – or perhaps an explanation as to what it means for the character's future in the DC Universe?
Read on to have the Clayface ending explained.
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Clayface ending explained: Who does Matt Kill in the DC film?
After some early signs that the cure might be a little more problematic than first thought, Matt begins to regularly find his face melting and – in one stressful scene set on a plane – his eyelids glueing shut over his eyes.
But he soon discovers that there are plus sides to the nanite treatment as well. Not only can he instantly recover from any injury, he also now has a power that allows him to alter his facial features and voice to very convincingly impersonate anyone he wishes. This instantly makes his plans for revenge a far sight more achievable.
One of the first people in his crosshairs is his former manager Frank Fitzpatrick (Eddie Marsan), who has now taken up a new job working for Mia and Szabo. Matt kills Frank and then transforms himself to look like him to make an escape.
Next in the firing line is his old friend Corey, who – driven by jealousy – had played a part in ruining Matt's reputation after the incident with Mia and Szabo, while also taking advantage of the situation to boost his own career. He also meets a grisly fate.
The man charged with investigating these killings is Gotham City police detective John Borrelli (Max Minghella), who just happens to be in a relationship with Caitlyn. John's initial hunch is that Szabo is behind the murders, which causes the gangster to threaten him and Caitlyn.
Meanwhile, at his home, Matt tells Caitlyn that he has fallen in love with her and kills one of Szabo's men who had followed her to the house. He then infiltrates Szabo's club and violently dispatches his remaining men, before suffocating Mia.
With Szabo now undefended, Matt disfigures himself in a similar manner to how the mob boss had done so earlier in the film, with his blood dripping onto Szabo's face and causing it to fatally dissolve.
What happens to Matt Hagen and Caitlyn at the end of Clayface?
Tom Rhys Harries in Clayface.
Caitlyn has figured out that Matt is causing the deaths and passes this information on to to John, only to realise that she is not actually talking to her boyfriend. Matt has killed the detective and used his powers to take on his identity.
Matt believes this means the road is now clear for them to be together and attempts to kiss her, but – unsurprisingly – she is disgusted by his advances and activates the kill switch in the nanites, which causes Matt's body to melt.
His melted form escapes into the sewers, while Caitlyn tells everything to the police. However, due to the fact they are unable to find any trace of him, they dismiss the information and Matt is declared a missing person.
Some time later, we see Caitlyn giving some money to a homeless man and discover that this is none other than Matt – who now lives in the Gotham sewers.
In the final moments, we see Matt create a version of Caitlyn using his flesh, acting out a situation in which they are now lovers before he adopts his new, grotesque and giant form.
Will there be another Clayface movie?
Tom Rhys Harries in Clayface. Warner Bros
Given that the film serves as an origin story – and Matt Hagen only adopts his final Clayface form at the end of the runtime – you might imagine that the character would go on to feature in further movies in the DC Universe.
Star Tom Rhys Harries certainly seems keen, telling Radio Times in an exclusive interview that the "possibilities are endless."
He said: "He could become any inanimate object or anybody, and he's also exceptionally strong. So yeah – bring it on!"
Meanwhile, speaking to Variety, director James Watkins said that what happens next was "a question for James Gunn".
He added: "I liked the standalone nature of it. I liked how it felt like it introduced a character. But I wasn’t trying to introduce the character to go, 'OK, what next?' I was trying to introduce the character as a full meal in itself."
Gunn himself told Cinemex, ahead of the release that "this [movie] isn’t the last we’ll see of Clayface. And I can’t wait for you guys to see what we do with him."
As for concrete news on a further film – or whether Clayface might appear in a separate film within the DC Universe – nothing has been made explicitly clear at this stage. We'll keep you posted with any official updates!
Does Batman make an appearance in Clayface?
Batman.
Ahead of the release, there were plenty of reports that there might be space for a brief appearance from Batman in the film, which would fit given the Gotham City setting and the fact that Clayface is best known as one of The Caped Crusader's antagonists.
As for whether that version of Batman might have been the version played by Robert Pattinson in the Matt Reeves film from 2022 (which is currently shooting a sequel) or a new iteration introduced for the Gunn DC Universe, that was anyone's guess.
Well, in the end neither was true: as there was no appearance from Batman at all.
There is a small Easter egg in the form of one scene set at the Wayne Community Centre, but there are no concrete mentions of Batman himself, and so fans of the character will have to wait for his DCU introduction.
Of course, no DC Universe would be complete without its most iconic character, and we can expect to see Batman properly introduced in the upcoming film The Brave and the Bold, which is currently in development.
Clayface is now showing in UK cinemas.
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Authors
Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
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