Clayface Movie Trailer Reveals Lanterns Connection We All Missed

The most recent trailer for DC Studios' Clayface film, which will be released in theaters on October 23, revealed that there will be a major connection between that project and the Lanterns HBO series, particularly regarding the two main characters of each project. Lanterns and Clayface are the next two entries in James Gunn's new DCU. Lanterns, which is an episodic TV series produced by HBO, will debut on August 16, followed by Clayface a couple of months later. Both titles are expected to expand the universe and include a lot of world-building elements for the DCU, and even though neither project has been released yet, there is already a connection between the two.

DC Studios recently released a full trailer for Clayface, and one shot included a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment that connects the movie to the upcoming Lanterns show. Specifically, around the 0:41 mark in the trailer, Tom Rhys Harries' Matt Hagen is looking at a page in a magazine that is dedicated solely to him and his acting success.

In the shot, as Matt is ripping a page out of the magazine, an additional page can be seen. On that page, there is a headline that reads, "Matt Hagen: Coast City's New Leading Man." This may not seem like a big deal, as it is just confirming that Matt is from Coast City. However, that simple headline (which is not the only secret DC Easter egg in the Clayface trailer) confirms that there is a deep connection between the Clayface main character and Lanterns' Hal Jordan.

Notably, Hal Jordan (who will be played by Kyle Chandler in Lanterns) is also originally from Coast City, at least in DC Comics. Hal Jordan was born to Martin and Jessica Jordan and was raised in Coast City. In addition, Hal spent most of his childhood in Coast City.

It is unclear if the DCU will follow the same backstory for Hal Jordan that is most commonly associated with him in the comics. However, considering the DCU is already referencing Coast City in the Clayface trailer and establishing it as a location within the universe, it would be an easy connection to make between two of the franchise's biggest characters if the DCU were to confirm that its version of Hal Jordan was from Coast City.

It is also worth noting that DC Comics never really established a hometown for Matt Hagen. Since he operated out of Gotham City, many assumed that he had lived there all his life. Therefore, it seems as though the choice to make him from Coast City in the DCU was deliberate, and could be DC Studios' way of connecting Matt to Hal Jordan, simply to provide a connection within the DCU and provide more connective tissue to different projects within the franchise.

Clayface is still going to take place in Gotham City. It is possible that the movie could feature some flashbacks of Matt as a child in Coast City, or that Coast City could be showcased very early on in the movie. For the most part, though, fans will be seeing Gotham City as the setting.

The full trailer for Clayface can be seen below:

Where Is Coast City in DC Comics?

In the comics, Coast City is a location on the West Coast in California. It is recognized as a major city somewhat near San Diego, and is most notable for being the home of Hal Jordan. It is also known for being the home of many of Hal Jordan's family and friends.

Considering Coast City is all the way in California, and Gotham City is over on the East Coast, it seems even more likely that DC Studios chose Coast City to be Matt Hagen's home for a reason. While not extremely likely, the franchise could establish that Matt and Hal Jordan somehow know each other, or that Matt at least knows someone in Hal's family.

However, considering two of the franchise's main characters will be from Coast City could indicate that the DCU is going to feature the location prominently in the future. For the most part, Metropolis, Gotham, Star City, and Central City are the major cities located in the United States, so it could be a nice change of pace for the franchise to make a different city one of the more popular places.