Clayface trailer shows off classic Batman villain in dark new body horror starring memorable Doctor Who guest star

The first trailer for Batman spin-off Clayface has arrived – and it looks set to be one of the scariest films of the year.

Tom Rhys Harries leads the cast of the upcoming horror film, which adapts the tragic origin of one of the caped crusader's most grotesque villains in a body horror story with echoes of The Substance.

Much like Demi Moore's Elisabeth Sparkle, who went to extreme lengths to recapture her lost youth, Harries will play Hollywood star Matt Hagen, whose good looks are ravaged by the "dark underbelly of scientific ambition".

From the teaser, it's unclear exactly what transformative process Matt endures, but the consequence is shown to startling effect: his face becomes malleable, like clay (hence the title), leaving him a warped and disturbed version of his former self.

Giving nothing away, the trailer makes atmospheric use of one particular shot, which sees Harries' character wearing bloodied facial bandages, with only his traumatised eyes facing out towards the viewers. It's nothing short of haunting.

Watch here, if you dare:

Harries has experience playing heartthrob celebrities, following another recent turn as A-list influencer Ricky September in Doctor Who's satirical season 14 adventure Dot and Bubble.

Clayface also stars Naomi Ackie (I Wanna Dance with Somebody) as experimental scientist Dr Caitlin Bates and Max Minghella (The Handmaid's Tale) as a Gotham City police detective. Eddie Marsan (King & Conqueror) has also joined in an undisclosed role.

The intriguing project has been described as the first fully-fledged horror flick from DC Studios, with genre maestro Mike Flanagan (of The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass fame) penning the screenplay.

Meanwhile, James Watkins is on directing duties, having earned his own stripes in the genre through the likes of Daniel Radcliffe's The Woman in Black and James McAvoy's Speak No Evil.

Clayface comes amid debate over the future of Batman on the big screen, with Robert Pattinson's tenure due to continue with The Batman: Part II, while James Gunn plots his own version of the vigilante to co-exist alongside David Corenswet's Superman.

This feature is, reportedly, taking place in Gunn's shared DC Universe, which also includes Peacemaker, Supergirl and this summer's Lanterns, but it certainly seems to be taking some stylistic cues from Reeves's The Batman and The Penguin.

The Clayface trailer does hint towards Matt Hagen's ultimate villainous destiny, including one comics-accurate shot where his arm transforms into a giant blunt instrument, but his eventual nemesis Batman isn't expected to appear.

This frightening origin could, however, lay the groundwork for a confrontation further down the line. Alternatively, it might just be a spooky treat to scare the living daylights out of us this Halloween – frankly, we'd be happy either way.

Clayface is headed to cinemas on 23 October 2026.

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