Clayface Release Date, Cast, Trailer and Box Office: Everything We Know

Clayface story

The film follows Matt Hagen's fall from an aspiring Hollywood actor to a disfigured man who volunteers for an experimental treatment after a brutal attack, a procedure that turns him into a shape-shifting mass of living clay and sends him down a path of revenge (1, 5, 20). Reports describe it as a psychological body-horror story about identity and trauma rather than a conventional superhero origin (7, 8). Director James Watkins has said the appeal was the character's "tragic journey" from Matt Hagen to Clayface, and that the film is set in Hollywood but is not a story about the industry itself (21). One report notes the film draws on the original comic-book version of Clayface, a Hollywood actor who kills in costume, rather than the shapeshifter from animated series (17). Harries and Ackie have both said the 1993 Batman: The Animated Series episode 'Feat of Clay' was a direct inspiration for the screenplay (18).

Clayface certificate and runtime

The MPA has given Clayface an R-rating, citing strong bloody violence, gore, language, some nudity and brief drug use (1). No runtime has been reported.

Clayface rights deals and budget

Estimates of the film's budget vary by report. One report puts it at around $40 million, calling it the smallest narrative feature DC Studios has made and noting it is the first film released under Skydance's ownership of Warner Bros Discovery (9, 15). A later report, citing Screen Rant, puts the cost at around $30 million (22). Warner Bros Pictures is distributing the film (7).

Clayface advance booking and box office

Early tracking, sourced to Box Office Pro via Koimoi, put the film's North American opening between $23 million and $33 million, below Supergirl's $37.1 million debut earlier this year (3). A related estimate put the global opening around $50 million to $55 million (4). One report noted the film would need $620 million worldwide to beat Superman's $618.7 million worldwide run, and separately that it needs $127 million worldwide to beat Supergirl's $126.5 million global haul (4, 5). Another report cited a $100 million break-even figure against a $20-29 million opening projection (7, 9). As the film nears release, it faces competition from the documentary You Can See Everything, which had grossed $18.1 million in North America and was expanding to at least 2,600 screens (19). Early premiere reactions from critics, following an October 13 screening at the Hollywood Legion Theater in Los Angeles, were largely positive, with Tom Rhys Harries' performance singled out (11, 16). Variety's review called it a

Sources

1. Clayface Gets R-Rating For Gore, Nudity And Drug Use
2. Mike Flanagan Says Clayface Is Not His Film Anymore
3. Clayface Tracking Below Supergirl Ahead of DCU's Third Outing
4. Clayface Needs $620 Million Worldwide To Beat Superman
5. Clayface’s Survival Run: Can It Beat Supergirl’s Box Office Ghost?
6. Clayface Budget: How One Horror Film Needs $100M To Survive
7. Tom Rhys Harries Plays Clayface in DC Horror Thriller
8. DC’s Next Bet: A Movie About a Man Who Melts
9. David Dencik Says His Son Helped Him Crack Clayface
10. Clayface R-rated Horror Film Hits Theaters Friday
11. Tom Rhys Harries as Clayface in DC's horror-thriller Premiere
12. Clayface: DC’s First Post-Skydance Film Isn’t a Superhero Movie
13. Clayface Reactions Call Tom Rhys Harries A Revelation In DC Body Horror
14. Clayface Movie: The Horror Isn’t in the Powers
15. Clayface’s Heartbeat Is From a 90s Cartoon
16. You Can See Everything vs Clayface: Documentary Storms Past $18M as Superhero Film Prepares for Battle
17. Nobody Wants This Season 3 Leads This Week's OTT And Theatre Slate
18. James Watkins Says Clayface Skips The Hollywood Insider Story
19. Clayface Could Hit HBO Max By Early January
20. Clayface Movie Review Finds DC's Goriest Villain Oddly Delightful

Last updated 21 October 2026. This guide is kept by CutMirchi's automated Guide Desk from the stories listed above and from our release tracker, and is refreshed as new reports come in. Dates and figures are as those reports gave them; trade figures are estimates.