Clayface: Mike Flanagan Reveals Inspiration Behind DCU Movie

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Mike Flanagan recently shared insights into the impending “Clayface” DC Universe film he contributed to, disclosing the Batman: The Animated Series episode that greatly influenced its development.

What is the inspiration behind the Clayface DCU movie?

In a recent chat with ComicBook, Flanagan shared that it was the two-episode arc titled “Feat of Clay” from the ’90s cartoon series that first captivated his interest in the character.

Flanagan declared that those episodes were indeed exceptional, using the phrase “that is the perfect [story].” He further explained that the episode titled “‘Feat of Clay'” with Ron Perlman left him spellbound. That two-part series truly resonated with him, to such an extent that it served as his primary inspiration for writing the script. He envisioned that world as his own. For Flanagan, Batman: The Animated Series was his personal Batman, even more so than Michael Keaton, during his childhood years.

One rephrased version could be: The two-episode storyline delves into the backstory of Matt Hagen, also known as Clayface. Throughout these episodes, we see that after a car accident leaves him injured, a wealthy entrepreneur named Ronald Daggett presents Hagen with an enigmatic concoction which enables him to shape-shift into any person he desires. However, Hagen finds himself unable to resist this substance and eventually agrees to work for Daggett in order to secure more of it.

Although the episode sparked some ideas, it’s largely uncertain what Flanagan’s vision for Clayface will become in the film. The director of The Life of Chuck first presented the movie concept to James Gunn, who commended the script. However, recent news suggests that Hossein Amini (of Drive fame) is reworking Flanagan’s script. The extent of these changes isn’t clear, but Flanagan hopes that the final product will stay faithful to his initial plans.

Flanagan shared that he’s unsure about the direction they’re taking with Clayface as he isn’t involved in its production. He mentioned that another filmmaker will put their own touch on it. He’s aware they’re working on the script, but now he’s focusing on other projects. He hopes it stays faithful to his vision for the character. Since it’s not his movie, he’ll be watching alongside everyone else, eagerly waiting to see the final result.

At present, details regarding the movie are scarce, yet the roster of potential directors hints at rumors suggesting it will be a blend of horror and suspense.

As a gamer, I’m super excited to dive into the latest DC Universe adventure, as James Gunn just labeled Clayface as part of the “DCU story”. This implies it will be woven into the continuity of the freshly launched shared DC Universe that began with the animated Creature Commandos series. Can’t wait to see what unfolds!

As a thrilled fan, I’m eagerly anticipating that we might see the production of Clayface commence in October! However, as of now, no casting details have been disclosed. Warner Bros. Pictures has set a release date for this highly-anticipated movie on September 11, 2026.

Originally reported by Anthony Nash on SuperHeroHype.

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2025-06-02 19:41