James Gunn Talks About DC's CLAYFACE and Says it Will Be a 'Complete Horror Film' — GeekTyrant
"And then we got Clayface, which is like a totally different thing. Although it's in the same universe, it's a complete horror film. That's one of the things we want to do… there's not a company style. It's not like every movie is going to be like Superman."
For Gunn, the goal is to keep each project distinct, mirroring what DC Comics has always done on the page:
"The artists and the directors and the writers that create each one will bring their own sense to it.'
The movie comes from writer Mike Flanagan, the mind behind The Haunting of Hill House and Doctor Sleep , wrote the original script. While it's seen some rewrites from Drive screenwriter Hossein Amini, Gunn insists "it's all Mike's story."
Bringing the story to life is James Watkins, the filmmaker behind the chilling 2024 psychological nightmare Speak No Evil , as well as The Woman in Black and Eden Lake . With Flanagan and Watkins at the helm, expect a DC film that leans into atmospheric dread and visceral horror.
Gunn previously said of the film: '[It's] pure f***ing horror, like, totally real. Their version of that movie, it is so real and true and psychological and body horror and gross.'
Flanagan prevously opened up about the project and confirmed that his version of Clayface was heavily inspired by the acclaimed two-part Batman: The Animated Series episode 'Feat of Clay.'
When asked if his script was inspired by that, Flanagan said:
'Of course it was. I mean that is the perfect [story]. 'Feat of Clay,' Ron Perlman, to me, that's it. That two-parter knocked me out. The short answer is that is absolutely that is what inspired my script.
'That is the world I wanted to live in. Batman: The Animated Series when I was growing up was my Batman. As much as [Michael] Keaton was my Batman, The Animated Series really was my Batman.'
That emotional anchor from the animated series clearly left a mark on Flanagan. While he's not directing the film due to other projects like Carrie, his story may still shape the final product.
Clayface first appeared in Detective Comics back in 1940. Traditionally, the character is an actor who becomes a criminal after embracing his monstrous alter ego. Across the decades, multiple versions have shared his signature shape-shifting, clay-like body—an ability that will undoubtedly play into the film's unsettling tone.
DC Studios plans to release Clayface on September 11, 2026.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
A Sequel To An Adam Sandler Sports Classic Is The Top Movie On Netflix Right Now
'Happy Gilmore 2' is currently ranked as the top movie on Netflix, according to the platform's public ranking system. The Adam Sandler-led sequel premiered on July 25, nearly 30 years after the original sports comedy became a beloved classic. In this follow-up, Sandler reprises his role as Happy Gilmore, returning to the golf course after years of retirement in a bid to save his family. Sandler made his 'Happy Gilmore' comeback a star-studded affair with tons of famous friends in cameo roles, including Bad Bunny, Eminem, Post Malone, Kid Cudi and Cam'ron. Several sports figures, like Travis Kelce, Stephen A. Smith and Reggie Bush, appear in the film as well. Also in the 'Happy Gilmore 2' cast are Julie Bowen, Ben Stiller, Christopher McDonald, Blake Clark and Sandler's daughters, Sadie and Sunny Sandler. Read on for more trending movies across streaming services, including Hulu, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video and Peacock. And if you want to stay informed about all things streaming and entertainment, subscribe to the Culture Catchall newsletter. 'Locked' 'Locked' is one of the top films currently trending on Hulu. The horror-thriller stars Bill Skarsgård as a petty thief who gets trapped in a twisted game of survival after he breaks into the wrong car. The movie also stars Anthony Hopkins, Ashley Cartwright, Michael Eklund and Navid Charkhi. 'Death of a Unicorn' Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd are the stars of a horror-comedy currently ranked among the top 10 films on HBO Max. The A24 movie, which first hit theaters in March, centers on a father and daughter who accidentally kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat with a billionaire (Richard E. Grant). However, things take an even bigger turn when they discover that the unicorn's blood possesses miraculous healing powers. 'Wicked' The 'Wicked' craze is still going strong now that the star-studded musical is streaming on Prime Video. The movie reimagines the origin story of the unlikely yet profound friendship between Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Galinda (Ariana Grande) before the events of 'The Wizard of Oz.' Catch up on the first 'Wicked' installment before the second film hits theaters on Nov. 21. 'The Phoenician Scheme' Wes Anderson's latest film is currently the top trending one on Peacock. 'The Phoenician Scheme,' which hit theaters in May, follows Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro), a wealthy businessman hoping to start a new venture with his estranged daughter (Mia Threapleton), the sole heir of his estate. However, the two soon become the targets of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists and assassins out to take Korda down. The movie also stars Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Bryan Cranston, Riz Ahmed, Scarlett Johansson and Benedict Cumberbatch. If you're looking for other films to watch, check out our What We're Watching blog. Related... 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' Won The Box Office — But It's Missing 1 Obvious Thing Forget The Dumb 'Superman' Controversy — This Movie Is A Truly Great Superhero Film He Rewrote The Rules Of TV For Black Artists — And Forever Changed American Pop Culture
Geek Tyrant
24 minutes ago
- Geek Tyrant
Trailer for TRAINWRECK: STORM AREA 51 - The Internet's Dumbest Idea Gets the Doc It Deserves — GeekTyrant
Netflix just dropped the teaser for Trainwreck: Storm Area 51 , the latest installment in their Trainwreck docuseries, and it's exactly the kind of glorious internet chaos you'd expect. Remember that 2019 Facebook post about storming Area 51 because 'they can't stop all of us'? That viral joke spiraled into a real-life desert gathering of alien truthers, meme lords, YouTubers, and maybe a few actual sexy alien cosplayers. The doc dives headfirst into the absurdity, blending the digital absurdity of Naruto runs and 'let's find aliens' optimism with the very real warnings from the U.S. military. As Netflix frames it, this is where 'the internet burst into the real world,' and yeah… things got weird. The synopsis reads: 'This is the story of the greatest sh*tpost ever made,' the doc proclaims. 'When 20-year old Matty Roberts creates a Facebook event inviting people to storm the classified Air Force facility Area 51 in the Nevada desert, the post quickly goes viral, with hundreds and then thousands saying they'll join the event that stated 'They can't stop all of us'. 'This prompts the US Air Force, FBI officials and the FAA to strongly advise against anyone illegally trying to access the base, and the Military warns that they stand ready to protect America and its assets with deadly force. The meme continues to go viral and spread to other social media apps and soon millions have signed up to attend…' Directed by Jack Macinnes ( Surviving Black Hawk Down ), and produced by RAW & BBH, this disaster doc lands on Netflix July 29th.
New York Times
25 minutes ago
- New York Times
Ex-Viking Jared Allen's Hall of Fame nod punctuates a career defined by maturation
One Halloween, Jared Allen dressed the way a younger iteration of Jared Allen would dress. The formal description of his ensemble was a well-tailored wrestling singlet. The less formal — and more accurate — depiction was Sacha Baron Cohen's bathing suit from the movie 'Borat.' On an otherwise quiet morning inside the Kansas City Chiefs locker room, a door swung open, and there Allen came. There were gasps and shrieks and squeals. Advertisement 'I heard lots of stories about that string bikini from other players,' Allen's longtime agent, Ken Harris, said recently. 'They're like, 'Your guy is absolutely crazy.'' Allen, the former defensive end who this weekend will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, gave no reason to think otherwise. He told reporters stories about hunting 200-pound wild boars with knives. He jogged alongside bulls in Spain. Long before he'd finish compiling his 136 NFL sacks and four first-team All-Pro honors, he'd dress like a beer-bellied Elvis, hop in his 1969 powder-blue Cadillac and cruise around town. A post shared by NFL (@nfl) This is often when the trouble occurred, when Allen's decisions poured gasoline on the simmering problem-child narrative. He was arrested for drunk driving and speeding in May 2006. Five months later, police busted Allen again for DUI. Former Chiefs president and general manager Carl Peterson described Allen, then 24, as 'a young man at risk,' which contributed to a contract spat. The Chiefs escalated tension in the relationship by applying the franchise tag. 'At one point, somebody with the Chiefs told us, 'We've got the tag on him, and don't ever forget, we're the bank,'' Harris recalled. 'You can't say that to Jared Allen. If you say that to Jared Allen, bad things happen.' The bad things for Kansas City became positive things for Minnesota — and Allen. Harris, the agent, introduced the idea of Allen spending his franchise-tag season as a sideline reporter. The Chiefs then retracted their trade demand of two first-round picks. The Vikings' brain trust, comprised of former general manager Rick Spielman and executives George Paton and Rob Brzezinski, assembled the plan. Paton focused on Allen's playing fit. Brzezinski sifted through the financial ramifications. Spielman blessed the vision. Why roll the dice on an inexperienced defensive end in the draft if they could acquire a guy who had just started 55 games and recorded 43 sacks in four seasons? Advertisement The Vikings still needed to recruit Allen, so the franchise ownership met with him and Harris. At one point, Harris' phone buzzed with messages from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Vikings executives noticed. Allen and Harris exited the Minnesota facility without a final agreement on contract terms. But that night, Brzezinski phoned Harris and asked to meet him in the lobby of the downtown Hilton. They resumed their conversations from earlier in the day, at one point even scribbling number figures reaching eight digits on a tiny napkin. Leaning in closer because of the noise from tables around them, Harris remembered Brzezinski asking, 'Do you think anybody would ever imagine we're talking about tens of millions of dollars?' 'I guarantee you nobody has any idea,' Harris said. 'They just think we're two schmucks at the bar talking.' Harris added, 'The schmucks comment was true; not for Rob, but for me. I do want to say, though, that trio of Rick and Rob and George made it happen. We went in there and just fell in love with these guys as well as ownership.' Many of the Vikings players were initially skeptical of the man who had netted the then-record-breaking, six-year, $73,260,069 deal. Was Allen committed enough? Was football just the vehicle for an unsustainable lifestyle? Vikings veterans Pat Williams and Kevin Williams, who took Allen out to dinner at the end of his first official day, wondered whether he'd be attentive enough against the run. They cornered him on the subject at Redstone American Grill in Eden Prairie. His charisma won them over. Hearing Allen talk about realizing he didn't have to live life on the edge to become his best self version of himself secured their belief. On the field, he erased any remaining doubt. He sprang off the line of scrimmage like a sprinter with a shotgun start. He bent his body in ways a 6-foot-6, 270-pound frame shouldn't bend. Strong hands aren't a powerful enough descriptor; he swiped tackles' arms with smarts, knowing where and when they were susceptible. Advertisement He wasn't operating at random. Allen spent countless hours studying Derrick Thomas, Reggie White and Leslie O'Neal. 'I think people have this idea that he was just a guy who played with great energy and was relentless and had this motor,' former teammate Ben Leber said. 'All of those things are true, but he approached the game from a strategic standpoint.' Never was Allen more excited to deploy his strategies than against the Detroit Lions. Their offensive linemen jawed constantly, Leber said, and Allen barbed in return. He also swarmed. Vikings coach Brad Childress' favorite memory is Allen chasing current ESPN broadcaster Dan Orlovsky out of the back of the end zone. 'And if I saw Dan Orlovsky in a bar this afternoon,' Childress said recently, 'I would give him s— about it until I walked out of the bar.' Like Allen's teammates, Childress revered his energy and enthusiasm. Football seasons drag. When the teammate Mario Kart battles subside, as they did with the Vikings, you need a guy who can replace them with intense games of Yahtzee. You need a person who, while toned down outside the locker room, keeps the room free in every sense of the word. Heading to the Hall of Fame! Congratulations, Jared Allen! — Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) February 7, 2025 'He was always prone to run around unclothed,' Kevin Williams said, cackling on the other end of the phone. 'I hate to admit it,' Leber added, 'but he wasn't shy. He was not shy in the locker room. I'm not sure (Allen's wife) Amy is going to love these stories, but she didn't meet Jared 1.0. She met Jared 2.0.' The couple married in 2010. The arrival of their first child, a girl named Brinley, coincided with her father's best season, and one of the most productive in NFL history. Allen notched 22 sacks in 2011, a Vikings record that remains. It's tied for the third-most sacks in a single season in NFL history. Advertisement This degree of dominance planted the seeds for a trip to Canton, Ohio, that didn't come easily. The Pro Football Hall of Fame first named him a finalist in 2021. Four years later, he finally received enough votes to be elected. He joked a few months ago that the honor wouldn't change anything, other than forcing him to travel and give more interviews than he'd like. But the people who best know his path view the arc — going from an 8-year-old telling his father he wanted to play professionally to becoming primarily a long snapper at Idaho State to everything that would follow — as an example. 'His journey has been pretty incredible,' Leber said. 'You see this progression of not only a player but also a human being.' As for this weekend's speech? There's a reason Harris, Williams, Leber and so many others are lining up to go. What will Allen, now 43, say? How far will he go? One of the attendees even suggested a prop. Odds are, he'll (thankfully) wear not a well-tailored wrestling singlet but a finely stitched cowboy hat. He'll make the audience laugh. He'll tell some stories, praise those who came before him and then focus on his family. On Amy. On Brinley. On their second daughter, Lakelyn. On the group that brings his maturation to life.
