James Gunn reveals the Clayface movie to be R-rated horror

James Gunn is all set to reboot the DC film franchise with David Corenswet's Superman, but he is also making sure that their slate has something for everyone. Point in case, the latest update about the Clayface movie. During his recent appearance on the DC Studios Showcase podcast, Gunn revealed that his horror film is so intense that it will likely be rated R. Here's what he said,

"It’s rated R, yeah… it’s not anything now, because the MPAA has to watch it, but it’s most likely rated R. It’s pretty intense."

This comment offers a bit more understanding of this DC film that was reportedly announced by co-CEO Peter Safran during the DC press event in February 2025. He said,

"This summer, cameras are gonna roll on 'Clayface,' which is an incredible body horror film that reveals the compelling origin of a classic Batman villain. This is another title that we added to the slate on the strength of an exceptional screenplay by Mike Flanagan."

The latest update hints that this upcoming body horror movie will be R-rated, which means it will likely include gore, graphic violence, strong language, and mature themes not suited for younger audiences.

What else do we know about DC's Clayface movie?

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Per Deadline, Tom Rhys Harries has been officially cast as the face of the Clayface movie. Shortly after, DC co-CEO James Gunn responded to the update by saying,

"After a long and incredibly exhaustive search, we finally have our DCU Clayface in Tom Rhys Harries. Both Matt Reeves and I were just blown away by this guy, and can't wait for you to see this film, directed by James Watkins and written by Mike Flanagan."

With this response, James Gunn confirms a few details about this DCU project. It will be written by Mike Flanagan and directed by James Watkins, both of whom have a strong history of dealing with horror narratives.

Flanagan is known for his compelling horror shows like The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, The Fall of the House of Usher, and more. Joining him in the creative duties is Watkins, known for Eden Lake (2008), The Woman in Black (2012), and Blumhouse's Speak No Evil adaptation, starring James McAvoy. With their shared input, the movie seems like a promising chapter in DCU's future.

What does James Gunn say about this R-rated horror project?

New York Comic Con 2024 - Day 3 - Source: Getty

During a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, James Gunn shared some details about the Clayface movie, how it fits in DCU's slate, and more. He talked about how the movie came into being.

"Mike Flanagan is somebody who I've been friendly with for a long time, and he wrote me about Clayface. He texted me about it really early on in my DC journey. Just being honest, I did not think that was something that was going to happen, but he came in and he pitched the idea and I was like, "Oh s---! That's cool." It's a body horror movie. It's a horror movie that, like any cool body horror movie, just happens to be in the DCU. And then he wrote the script, and the script was fantastic. We did not plan to do Clayface. That was really something he brought to us."

When asked about the script for Clayface, James Gunn said,

"The new script is great. It's great. I mean, the first script was great, and then this new draft is even better.... The movie'sdefinitely getting made."