Ever since the inception of the new DCU, we've witnessed heroes and anti-heroes stop many different threats: Superman prevented the destruction of Metropolis, Peacemaker defeated an alternate, Nazi version of himself, and The Bride of Frankenstein killed the sadistic princess of Pokolistan. In some way or another, good has triumphed over evil, and that will hold especially true with the release of Supergirl. But after the good guys have had the chance to save lives, it will be time for the bad guys to have their fun.
Clayface isn't only the DCU's last film coming out in 2026, but its third movie as a whole. It's unusual for a cinematic universe to feature so early on a standalone project featuring a villain who hasn't made his live-action debut yet. To make things more interesting, it has been confirmed that audiences are in for an R-rated, body-horror experience unlike any other superhero project ever released. With such an intriguing premise (and main character), fans have been eagerly awaiting a first look at Clayface to have a better idea of what to expect once it finally releases. Fortunately, that day is finally here.
DC unveils the first Clayface trailer
Say hello to Matt Hagen, a man whom you'll surely see on the big screen on multiple occasions for many years to come. The rising star has a promising career ahead of him, and nothing could stop him from taking over Hollywood... except maybe for a horrifying accident that will completely disfigure his face. Now, the question is: to what lengths will Matt go to recover what he lost? Well, that's exactly the premise of Clayface.
After years of being sidelined, Clayface is finally bound to make his cinematic debut, and we finally have a glimpse of the monster who will hunt us in our nightmares. The trailer reveals that we'll see a faithful adaptation of the iconic Batman villain, who will be able to shapeshift. There's a shot where we see the villain's hand transforming into a spike mace, and the final sequence of the trailer also shows him completely erasing his face (quite literally).
We also have a brief look at Matt Hagen before the accident that forever changed his life. There are quick glimpses of a happy and successful actor who seems to have unlimited potential. These shots flash in and out of a much darker sequence where Matt is in the hospital with his eyes completely red and bloody bandages covering his face. This unfortunate accident will lead Matt to undergo a very dangerous procedure that will grant him new abilities.
Official Clayface posters released by DC tease the "regenerative medicine" responsible for turning Matt into the villain we all know and hate to love. While it's still unclear who runs these experiments or why, this seems to be the main driving force of the movie. After all, it isn't far-fetched to assume that Matt Hagen will want to get revenge on the shadowy organization responsible for destroying his life.
The Clayface trailer also gives us our first look at the DCU's version of Gotham City. While the footage doesn't contain any nod to Batman, it will be interesting to see whether the movie will give us our first look at the Caped Crusader, or whether he'll be involved in the story in any capacity (it never hurts to dream).
Unfortunately, Clayface wasn't shown in his full supervillain form just yet, and there's a high chance that DC will choose to keep the villain's design secret until the release date. Fortunately, we know he will retain his iconic shapeshifting abilities and that the film is bound to be dark and violent. All the ingredients seem to be there to make an iconic supervillain movie, and we can't wait to see how it all pans out.
Clayface will be released on Oct. 23, 2026.
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