The latest trailer for DC Studios' Clayface has highlighted one potential problem with the new DCU's strategy. Following Supergirl's release this summer, Clayface is the next major film release from DC Studios and is confirmed to take place in the canon DCU. The upcoming film, starring Tom Rhys Harries and directed by James Watkins, focuses on the notable villain Clayface ahead of the DCU's introduction of his nemesis, Batman.
DC Studios recently released a full trailer for Clayface, showcasing more of what fans can expect from the new DCU film. A short teaser trailer for Clayface was released in April 2026, hinting at the film's darker tone, which pushes the DCU into R-rated body horror for the first time. While the teaser was heavily steeped in that horror tone, the more recent Clayface trailer sheds more light on the DCU film and its more traditional superhero ties.
In the official Clayface trailer, the footage plays out more like a comic book movie origin story, showcasing Matt Hagen's journey from a beloved actor to his inciting event, which sees his face carved up by gangsters, to his struggles with his new powers as he transforms into a horrifying creature of clay after seeking out an experimental treatment. "The people I trusted betrayed me, the justice system failed me, they stole my career, my money, my life. I'm a monster," Harries' Hagen is heard saying in the trailer. The rest of the movie will seemingly follow Hagen as he uses these new powers for vengeance, hunting down those who wronged him.
The extended Clayface trailer gives the impression that this is very much still a comic book movie with horror elements, rather than a straight horror film as the teaser may have suggested.
Since DC Studios initiated its plans for the new DCU under the leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran, the pair have been outspoken about their strategy: to allow genre-heavy superhero movies outside the traditional action blockbuster. Gunn clarified this idea on Threads, saying, "From the start we've been clear the DCU would be interconnected, but each project would be full expressions of their writers & directors." The DC Studios head added, "The film or show will play in whatever genre suits the story best."
This is an exciting prospect for superhero fans, who have witnessed two distinct cinematic universes (the DCEU and MCU) that have often prioritized the superhero genre, rather than toying with different tones and styles. That said, the new Clayface trailer makes it clear that while the DCU may try its best to branch out into pure-genre films, it remains beholden to its comic book roots.
This highlights an ongoing problem for the new DCU as it finds its footing: the attempt to make genre movies rather than superhero movies will never satisfy everyone. There are horror fans who will show up to watch Clayface expecting a straight horror film, only to realize they are in for a comic book villain origin story. There will be others who want to see Clayface because of its comic book ties, and may be expecting more of a traditional superhero action flick, and may be dissuaded by the fact that it is more steeped in body horror.
Gunn's strategy of making genre-focused superhero stories, like the detective-thriller tone seen in Lanterns, may be a refreshing take, but these are still superhero projects at the end of the day, and going too far in either direction will always alienate a portion of the audience.
Can the DCU Overcome Its Struggles With Clayface?
While the latest Clayface trailer sets up an ongoing struggle for the DCU, there is still every chance that DC Studios is able to prove itself in the genre space with its new body horror.
The issue right now is that it's unclear just how far in either direction Clayface will lean. Will it be a straight down-the-line body horror that just happens to feature the DC villain Clayface, or will it be a comic book action movie with a horror coating? Or can it manage to perfectly balance these two influences, playing out the strategy that Gunn and Safran have set up?
The pedigree of Clayface sets it up for success. The script for the movie originated with Mike Flanagan, a well-regarded maestro of the horror genre, before being passed to James Watkins, another expert in the genre with experience directing Speak No Evil and The Woman in Black. Additionally, the film has James Gunn overseeing its production, who is well-versed in the superhero genre, not just as DC Studios' head but also as a director on Superman and Guardians of the Galaxy.
The combination of these experiences should be exactly what DC Studios needs to execute its strategy of genre-led superhero movies, but projects like Clayface and Lanterns will be a true test of whether the DCU can balance these elements and please both existing superhero fans and genre fans.
