If James Gunn Superman was for fans of classic superheroes, James Watkins clay face is for horror junkies.
Rightly written by Exorcist: Martyrs horror maestro Mike Flanagan and To drive the scribe Hossein Amini, clay face stars Tom Rhys Harries as the titular Batman villain, who begins as rising actor Matt Hagen from the humble roots of Gotham City before crossing paths with brutal mobster Szabo (David Dencik).
After Szabo cuts up Matt’s face in one of many graphic scenes, the actor loses his career and pretty much everything else in his life. But when he discovers Dr. Caitlyn Corr’s (Naomi Ackie) groundbreaking nanotechnology research, he convinces her to restore his face to its former glory, leading to terrifying side effects and a bloody quest for revenge.
Following the optimistic story of the hero of the years 2025 SupermanGunn’s DCU plays with multiple genres in its latest outing, delivering suspenseful body horror about the transformation of a bright young star into the iconic supervillain of Batman’s rogues gallery.
Harries’ undeniable chemistry with Ackie gives the film a sexy romantic comedy element at times, before his charming infatuation turns into something darker and toxic, becoming his Dr. Frankenstein’s monster.
With the discovery of his new abilities, Matt is able to transform into anyone he wants, adding a creepy element reminiscent of John Carpenter. The thing (1982) and the 1998 Denzel Washington thriller Fallen. It’s also played for laughs in one scene as Matt is caught in mid-transformation, sporting a little black dress and earrings.
Not only does Watkins succeed in delivering scares, he spares no detail in the creative kills and graphic body horror scenes, such as you’ll no doubt see in The man of tomorrow.
As Matt learns that he can regenerate from even the most gruesome injuries, there is also a Jason quality to the horror of his super abilities.
The film will certainly resonate in Hollywood as part of Matt’s journey takes place in the film industry of DC Comics’ Los Angeles surrogate, Coast City.
While the film highlights the reality of corrupt cops who are in the pockets of the rich, as well as medical companies that prioritize advances in cosmetic surgery over life-saving discoveries, clay face never preaches to its audience like previous DCU films could have been accused of doing.
Whether you’re a comic book enthusiast or a horror junkie, clay face worth the price of admission for its gender-focused take on a lesser-known character, hopefully serving as a roadmap for the DCU’s on-screen future.
Title: clay face
Distributer: Warner Bros.
Release date: October 23, 2026
Director: James Watkins
Screenwriters: Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini
Cast: Tom Rhys Harries, Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan
Rating: A.
Operating time: 1h 48m
Gn entert
