DC Studios has revealed new details and a Japanese poster for Clayface, an upcoming body horror movie starring Tom Rhys Harries as the main villain.
The project represents one of the darkest cinematic adaptations from DC Studios, which is undergoing a franchise overhaul under the creative direction of filmmaker James Gunn.
The newly unveiled Japanese poster, shared on social media platform X, provides a closer look at the film's unsettling design. Rather than relying on traditional comic book imagery, the artwork emphasizes graphic body horror to highlight the physical transformation seen on screen.
The poster places the transformation of main character Matt Hagen in the foreground. It shows the character upside down while his hand stretches the skin of his face, displaying a rough and grainy texture across his skin.
Japanese text featured on the poster expands on what audiences can expect from the adaptation. Translated red lettering explains that the protagonist lost his fame, his beauty, and everything. White text positioned above his face states that a star in despair underwent a forbidden treatment, giving birth to a monster.
Poster Design and Story Synopsis
The official summary reveals that the film will explore both a physical and psychological journey for the lead character. A promising Hollywood star loses his handsome face in an accident and, desperate to regain his fame, turns to a forbidden treatment that begins transforming his body and mind into a monster.
DC Studios has promoted Clayface as a project centered more heavily on horror than on a standard character origin story. Preview footage from the trailer suggests that the movie will also function as a psychological thriller designed to impact viewers.
The film forms part of a broader structural shift at DC Studios, a division of Warner Bros. Discovery that produces feature films and television series based on DC Comics characters. Director James Gunn moved exclusively to DC Studios to oversee the franchise after previously serving as a key creative figure at Marvel Studios, where he directed the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy.
Character History and Genre Elements
Clayface is traditionally recognized by comic book fans as a prominent shapeshifting villain who frequently clashes with Batman. The character of Matt Hagen was first introduced to DC Comics in the early 1960s as an actor who acquires malleable clay-like abilities, making him one of the most enduring versions of the villain.
By leaning into body horror, the film adopts a cinematic subgenre that focuses on graphic physical mutations and biological decay to generate psychological tension. Welsh actor Tom Rhys Harries leads the cast as Matt Hagen, bringing the tragic monster to life on screen.
Clayface is scheduled to open in cinemas on October 23.
