Clayface isn’t just the next upcoming DC movie; it looks like one of the most promising new horror films on the 2026 movie schedule. Since it’s still three months away, I wasn’t expecting to hear about the experience of watching the movie yet, but Jim Lee just spilled the tea!
CinemaBlend was in the audience for San Diego Comic-Con’s DC Comics panel. There, the publishing company’s very own president, publisher and CCO told us his thoughts on the fall release. And it has me very hyped for what’s to come. In Jim Lee's words:
I left the film, and I told [director James Watkins] that I felt like I was just served an amazing three-course meal. I felt the appetizer, the entree and dessert. It felt so intentional – the setups, the payoffs, and the detail that went into every scene.
Whoa! I love a movie that can make one feel like they just went to a full-service fancy restaurant with its content. Of course, Lee didn’t get into many specifics about why he made this analogy, but this is a really solid reaction. He also said this:
And then when you watch it with test audiences, you see people literally [getting squeamish]. You see them freak out. And then, there are other scenes where you just see people look down, and it's very common. Like, they cannot look. And, you guys do not hold back. What you see in the trailer, it sort of goes further than you know.
Clayface’s latest trailer definitely has enough to make one squirm. It introduces Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries), an actor who becomes disfigured and feels like his life has been ruined since. So, he turns to a “fringe” scientist, Dr. Caitlin Corr (Naomi Ackie), who transforms him into something new. And the results are pretty terrifying. I know I can’t stop thinking about the plane sequence where his eyes are suddenly stuck shut. Check it out below:
I thought the horrors I witnessed in the trailer would be enough, but Jim Lee teased even more. The highly-anticipated DC movie was co-written by The Haunting of Hill House’s Mike Flanagan and produced by The Batman’s Matt Reeves. Here’s what Lee also said during the panel:
There's this nightclub called Vesuvius. And when we went to set, they were talking about how the walls resemble raw meat, and how they pulled up images of diseased skin to try to get certain textures and play them throughout.
OK, so James Watkins did not come to play. The director has done a bunch of horror movies over the years, and this one is no exception. It might even be his creepiest yet. We’re already hoping it’s a big success so more horror-leaning DC movies are greenlit. Knowing more about how this one plays makes me even more optimistic. Here’s one more thing Jim Lee said about Clayface:
I left the screening ruminating, wondering. I just really felt like I had seen something very special, and maybe appreciate the craft of storytelling, and also how cool Clayface is as this character.
This is very, very high praise. Plus, it’s coming from a guy who’s considered one of the most influential names in comic books. He was notably part of the Batman: Hush comic book story arc, which had a great Clayface arc in it as well. The Clayface movie hits theaters on October 23. And this horror fan is more excited than ever.
