- Primary Subject: Clayface (DC Studios Film)
- Key Update: The upcoming DCU horror thriller explores Gotham City's underbelly and Matt Hagen's tragic transformation entirely without featuring Batman.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: October 14, 2026
- Quick Answer: Clayface tells a standalone Gotham origin story without Batman because the city is vast enough for isolated tragedies to occur out of the Dark Knight's sight.
The upcoming DC Studios movie Clayface will take a deep dive into Gotham City without featuring Batman, following the city’s appearances and references in Creature Commandos and Lanterns.
James Gunn has yet to introduce the DCU’s own Caped Crusader, who will exist separately from the version featured in Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe.
However, director James Watkins is about to take viewers into Gotham’s underbelly, proving that the city doesn’t always need Batman to tell a compelling story.
Can Clayface Tell a Gotham Story Without Batman?
Fans are about to see a different version of Gotham City in Clayface, where an up-and-coming actor named Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries) meets a tragic fate after falling victim to the city's criminal underworld.
When it’s all over, Matt finds himself in Gotham’s strange world of fringe science, where scientist Caitlyn Corr (Naomi Ackie) gives him a new kind of treatment that turns him into a monster, revealing Clayface’s dark origin story without Batman.
So, how could this happen? According to Harries himself, Gotham is “analogous” to New York City. It is so big that things can happen without the Dark Knight knowing.
“You can have these different characters and different stories play out, whilst Batman also exists in that universe,” he said during the movie’s press day (via ComicBook).
Director James Watkins backed Harries’ point, agreeing that a villain’s origin story can still unfold without Batman’s involvement because of the city’s sheer size.
“One of the things that appealed to me, really, was that it was a standalone story. It’s a different story, you know, like Joker. It’s just one man’s story within the sort of world of Gotham,” he explained. “And I thought of the fact that you could come to this film, and you don’t need to bring any knowledge; you don’t have to have any of that deep background. And that really appealed to me, as well.”
The filmmaker was also thankful to DC Studios for giving him “a lot of freedom” to create his own version of Gotham for the DCU.
“They gave me a lot of freedom. And it was like, ‘Create your version of Gotham,’ you know?” he continued. “And, so, there’s a lot of James in this process: James Price, who’s the brilliant production designer, and I worked hard to create a Gotham.”
To bring this vision to life, Watkins revealed that he drew inspiration from Liverpool in the UK and German realism, using them as architectural influences to make the fictional city feel more “real and grounded.” At the same time, he wanted Gotham to have an “oppressive” look, complete with towering urban canyons, corruption in the streets, streetlights, neon signs, reflections, and wet pavement.
What Is Clayface About?
Clayface is an upcoming DCU horror film and psychological thriller that tells the origin story of the titular character, who was once a rising Hollywood actor named Matt Hagen. However, things take a turn for the worse when a local crime boss severely disfigures his face.
The vicious attack destroys his appearance and derails his promising career, leaving Matt isolated and desperate. He eventually seeks help from unorthodox scientist Dr. Caitlin Bates, who uses an experimental treatment to restore his looks.
However, while the procedure initially works, it comes with severe and unpredictable side effects that gradually transform his body into shape-shifting clay and destroy his sanity.
Consumed by anger and a distorted sense of identity, Matt spirals down a destructive path of revenge, ultimately becoming the classic DC Comics villain Clayface.
Clayface is set to hit theaters on October 23.
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