Clayface Director Says Despite Superman & Supergirl Sharing the Same DCU Universe With Upcoming DC Horror Movie, It Remains 'Fairly Self-Contained'

Clayface director James Watkins has revealed the unique direction he's taking with the DCU's first horror film. Although it exists in the same shared universe as Superman and Supergirl, Watkins says the film remains "fairly self-contained." The Tom Rhys Harries-led movie arrives in theaters on October 23, centering on the Batman villain without the Caped Crusader himself appearing.

Speaking with PEOPLE at San Diego Comic-Con alongside Harries in July, Watkins explained why Clayface is "fairly self-contained," revealing that its small scale worked in the film's favor: "We're a smaller-budgeted movie, but we're also leaning into that notion of being a big, bold swing in a horror space."

The pair also made a surprise appearance at the Jim Lee & Friends panel at SDCC, where they broke down what makes the movie different. Watkins stressed that the horror flick is relatable because the characters feel human:

"It's not a superhero movie. It's a supervillain story. But really, for me, the more you relate to these characters as real people, the more you relate to the horror."

Harries added that the story wastes no time getting dark:

"It gets pretty primal pretty quickly. It's ultimately about loss of identity, and how desperate any of us would get with that loss of identity."

Harries also displayed great commitment to the role, citing Grant Morrison and Dave McKean's Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, which depicts Clayface as a walking, talking disease, as well as Batman: The Animated Series and even pieces of music as inspiration for his portrayal. Watkins then noted that the film's aesthetic draws from the comics, the '70s, and classic movies of the '30s, describing a "dirty romance" to the whole world. He said no detail went overlooked, down to the wallpaper in a nightclub and the color of the Gotham City Police Department uniforms.

Clayface Being More Self-Contained Is a Good Thing

Given that Clayface is an origin film set before the events of the DCU's first movie, Superman, it makes sense that it's self-contained, since there aren't many stories before it to latch on to. Being less connected to other DCU projects makes it easier for the movie to attract general audiences. Moviegoers who aren't into comic book fare, and so probably haven't watched Creature Commandos, Supergirl, or Superman, don't have to worry, since they can still catch Clayface and not miss any context.

Horror films have also become extremely successful in recent years, with Zach Cregger's Weapons being a prime example. A fairly self-contained Clayface could easily be marketed purely as a horror film to general audiences without the comic book movie tag, since it functions as either on its own. After Supergirl bombed at the box office, DC needs a big win, and Clayface's approach makes it a lot easier to draw ticket buyers.

Clayface can afford to be self-contained despite existing in a shared universe because of the direction James Gunn is taking with the DCU. Each released project stands apart from the rest, making this a universe built for stories that can stand alone while still maintaining a level of interconnectedness. Superman was a colorful team-up movie that introduced Big Blue in the DCU. The next film, Supergirl, was set in space and featured alien characters as well as the space bounty hunter Lobo, a completely different vibe from its predecessor.