We’ll take “movie pitches that excite us for $4,000,” because we’re SUPER into the description for an upcoming DC Studios film. While perhaps not one of the top-tier Rogue’s Gallery members of Batman‘s villains, Clayface is a notable character.
Clayface was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, and first appeared in Detective Comics #40 (June 1940). Basil Karlo was a B-list actor who began a life of crime using the identity of a villain that he had portrayed in a horror film, and took a lot of inspiration from Lon Chenny‘s Phantom of the Opera. While the character has appeared sporadically in Batman media (games, animated series, ongoing comics), he’s yet to be in a live-action project.
Mike Flanagan, who is sort of single-handedly adapting every single Stephen King work possible, is writing a Clayface movie for DC Studios. As if that alone isn’t interesting enough, the film will reportedly take cues from a David Cronenberg opus.
Former ComicBook.com frontman Brandon Davis spoke with DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran at the press premiere of the teaser trailer for James Gunn‘s “Superman.” Sanfran apparently told BD that “Clayface” is currently looking for a director, and hopes to begin filming sometime in 2025. And on top of that, revealed that rather than being “campy,” this flick will be DC’s “The Fly,” which is pretty perfect for the character, honestly.
No other intel about the project has been revealed. We’ll let you know what we hear about this and other news.