DC’s Clayface Movie Wrapped, And I Have Theories About The Cryptic Post Its Star Celebrated With

Clayface looking horrified, in a room of television screens, Batman The Animated Series.
(Image credit: Warner Bros. Animation, DC Studios)

The forthcoming Clayface spinoff movie has finally wrapped. The upcoming DC movie, described as a horror-thriller, directed by Speak No Evil’s James Watkins and written by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, is one of the most unconventional additions to the new DCU slate, and it just took a major step toward its theatrical release. Tom Rhys Harries, who plays the title role in the twisted villain origin story, shared the news himself in a fittingly mysterious behind-the-scenes snap.

The actor posted a mirror shot to his Instagram Stories with the caption “CF PICTURE WRAP 🎥,” signaling that cameras have officially stopped rolling. However, the eerie messages and set dressing in the photo might be the real story. Check out the image below to see what you think.

Tom Rhys Harries cryptic Instagram Story post from the set of Clayface.

(Image credit: Instagram)

At first glance, the image from Tom Rhys Harries’s trailer might seem unremarkable, but upon a second look, it’s packed with eerie details that feel ripped straight from the world of Clayface, leaving one to speculate. And that is exactly what I’ll do. Here’s what I think is going on.

DC Comics artwork of Clayface

(Image credit: DC Comics)

Let's Talk Out Harries’ Cryptic Clayface Post

On the mirror, phrases like “Want in one hand, shit in the other. See which gets full first” have my head spinning with speculation. We know the character Harries is playing is obsessed with becoming a well-known (maybe famous) actor. Is this something someone told him, telling him to give up on his dreams?

Also, the partial quote “Go where the chalk-white…” (a nod to Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends) is particularly fascinating. The quote comes from a poem that depicts the grown-up world as a dark, foreboding, mundane place, whereas the world of a child is full of possibilities. Are we getting the suggestions of suggestions of a fractured, possibly desperate psyche? Is this the inner voice of Clayface or someone from his past? Are these just breadcrumbs for us to follow?

In addition, around the mirror are a series of cryptic photos and cutouts: a figure with a paper bag over its head, a disfigured silhouette, moody vintage Gotham street scenes (noticeably, right at home in the world of the upcoming The Batman Part II and Penguin spinoff series), and even a Ross 70 bicycle. One black-and-white image appears to show a shirtless, maybe scarred man, all, perhaps a hint at the body horror transformation Clayface will undergo. Altogether, it feels less like set decor and more like a psychological roadmap, one filled with dread and pulled straight from the world of Se7en.

Based on these visuals, Clayface looks to be less traditional new superhero movie fare and more a descent into psychological and physical horror. As previously reported, the film follows a washed-up B-movie actor who injects himself with a mysterious substance to stay relevant, only to slowly lose his humanity. With James Watkins directing and James Gunn co-producing, this could be DC’s most unsettling origin story yet, and I cannot wait for it to land on the 2026 movie schedule.

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HBO Max: Plans start from $10.99 a month
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Clayface hits theaters on September 11, 2026 and, if Tom Rhys Harries's wrap post is any hint, the finished product will feel more like a new horror movie than the traditional superhero flicks we're used to. It just may be as unnerving as the man in the mirror.

In the meantime, stream existing DCU content now using an HBO Max subscription.

Ryan graduated from Missouri State University with a BA in English/Creative Writing. An expert in all things horror, Ryan enjoys covering a wide variety of topics. He's also a lifelong comic book fan and an avid watcher of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. 

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