DC Studios' first-ever villain movie received a positive update as it continues its path to production. While James Gunn's new DCU will focus primarily on heroes like Superman, Green Lantern, and Batman, the brand will also introduce some villain-centric fare, allowing fans to take a walk on the wild side.
According to a new production update, the DCU's first villain movie should be coming soon. It has been reported that Mike Flanagan's Clayface is moving ahead with production, with filming set to begin later this year on October 1. The Clayface movie will be the first villain-focused movie under the DC Studios banner, joining a bounty of exciting big bads set to get the spotlight in the super-powered franchise:
The Clayface news comes by way of The Wrap's Umberto Gonzalez, who was the first to report on the update, adding yet another milestone in the movie's road to release:
"Last thing, 'CLAYFACE' begins production on October 1st."
No casting information on Clayface has been made public, but fans do know that the upcoming DC Studios film will be released in theaters on September 11, 2026.
Set to be a horror take on the DCU, Clayface will recount the origins of the iconic Batman villain as he goes from fledgling B-movie actor to shape-shifting supervillain. The movie will be written by renowned horror creative Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House) and directed by Speak No Evil filmmaker James Watkins.
Every Major Villain Coming to The DCU
While the Clayface movie is set to debut the first look at the beloved DC Comics villain under the DC Studios banner, there are plenty of other big bads coming to James Gunn's DCU.
The most imminent batch of villains set to arrive in the DCU will come later this summer in Gunn's Superman movie. Superman is set to include seven main villains headlined by Lex Luthor, Ultraman, and The Engineer.
Those are just the Superman villains that have been announced, as there is always the chance that the movie features some exciting cameos to help usher audiences into this new DCU.
After that, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow will introduce the DC Faithful to new takes on Krem of the Yellow Hills (a mustache-twirling intergalactic archer) and Lobo (played by returning DC actor Jason Momoa).
On the TV side of things, DC Studios will be no slouch on the villain front either. The upcoming Lanterns series is reportedly set to include the iconic Green Lantern villain Sinestro. Danish actor Ulrich Thomsen is set to play the founder of the Sinestro Corps, but how he will be incorporated into the series has yet to be seen.
For fans itching for more of what Clayface will be offering, focusing primarily on the villain side of things rather than the hero fighting the villain, there is yet another villain-centric movie in the works at DC Studios coming sometime in the next couple of years.
The Untitled Bane and Deathstroke film will focus on the pair of iconic Batman villains as they embark on an adventure across the DC universe. Some have speculated that this film could serve as a narrative setup for the upcoming Teen Titans film (in which Deathstroke is assumed to be the villain), but that has not been confirmed in any meaningful way.
