The long-rumored Mike Flanagan movie centered on Batman villain Clayface is a go, with multiple outlets reporting the script is underway from the horror impresario.
Per reports, while Flanagan is writing the movie, he will not direct due to his ongoing commitments for a The Exorcist reboot for Blumhouse, and the Carrie TV series in the works for Prime Video. The search for a director is currently underway.
This is the latest step in a long journey that began with Flanagan floating the idea online that he would be interested in doing a horror-infused take on the malleable baddie. In 2023, he shut down rumors noting that if anything real was happening he would “tell you guys.” And earlier this year we reported that the rumor had cropped up again — though Flanagan stayed silent and did not tell us guys.
As of this writing, Flanagan has still not told us guys whether this is accurate. DC Studios chief James Gunn also hasn’t responded, and usually he’ll post a link with “confirmed” or some variation if the reports are indeed true to his satisfaction. Of note, they likely are true, but Flanagan writing a script and a director search underway doesn’t mean the movie is 100% greenlit or ready to go. It just means there’s movement.
What also isn’t clear at this point is exactly which Clayface this will be. It’s likely this is an “Elseworlds” title, i.e. not taking place in the main DCU that kicked off with Creature Commandos, and will continue with next summer’s Superman. Despite the movie being produced by Matt Reeves and Lynn Harris through their company 6th & Idaho Productions, this is not necessarily connecting to the world of The Batman and The Penguin, either… 6th and Idaho also produced the unrelated Batman: Caped Crusader, and the upcoming Dynamic Duo.
And furthermore, will this be the literal man made of clay, like in Batman: The Animated Series, Harley Quinn, and upcoming on Creature Commandos? Or will it be more of the “man in a mask” style horror from the original comics, as well as Caped Crusader?
My personal hope? Whatever part of the Batman universe they stick this in, they base the movie on the superb Clayface: One Bad Day, a Hollywood nightmare that seems tailor-made for Flanagan’s sensibilities. And if I get two wishes, just hold off until Flanagan has time to direct, too. The project has taken this long; we can wait a little longer.
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