DCU’s Clayface Wraps Filming With James Watkins Directing After Mike Flanagan’s Draft Won the Greenlight

Flanagan says his Animated Series–inspired script set the project in motion, with other commitments keeping him from the director’s chair.

Overview

DC Studios positions Clayface as a mainline DCU entry with a theatrical release set for September 11, 2026.
James Watkins directs from a script now rewritten by Hossein Amini, with reporting characterizing the changes as substantial even as James Gunn maintains it remains Flanagan’s story.
Mike Flanagan confirms his draft drew directly from Batman: The Animated Series’ Feat of Clay and says he hopes the finished film preserves that spirit.
Flanagan cites schedule conflicts, including his Carrie series, for stepping aside and calls missing the director role one of the great sadnesses of his career.
Tom Rhys Harries leads the cast as Matt Hagen/Clayface, joined by Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella, and Eddie Marsan, following a production that has now wrapped.