Clayface Doesn't Need A Sequel Because We've Already Seen What Happens Next
by Ryan Scott · /FilmAdd SlashFilm on Google:
Google Discover
This article contains spoilers for "Clayface."
The DC Universe has expanded with the release of "Clayface." A full-blown, R-rated horror movie centered on the famed "Batman" villain, it's shaking up the status quo in the realm of comic book adaptations. It's very far removed from the likes of "Superman" and "Supergirl." But is this really a one-off? The "Clayface" ending leaves viewers wondering if Matt Hagen will return. That said, we already know what happens with his story after the events of the movie.
Directed by James Watkins ("Speak No Evil"), the latest movie in the DC Universe centers on Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries), chronicling his meteoric rise from Gotham City street kid to Hollywood leading man. It's cut short when a local crime boss leaves him horribly disfigured. Abandoned by his team with nothing left, Matt seeks out a cutting edge treatment that miraculously heals him — or so it seems. The treatment unexpectedly affects his grip on reality, sending him down a destructive path of revenge.
Without diving into the complexities of the ending itself, the movie concludes with Hagen becoming the big, muddy, gooey, shapeshifting version of Clayface DC Comics fans are familiar with. But we've actually seen Clayface's final form in the DCU prior to this movie. Namely, in the first season of the animated "Creature Commandos" TV show, which was technically the very first project in the new DC continuity.
DC Studios co-head James Gunn previously confirmed when "Clayface" takes place on the DC Universe timeline, and it's earlier than anything else we've seen thus far. That's very important when it comes to discussing a potential sequel.
Clayface shows up in Creature Commandos Season 1
"Clayface" tells us a lot about James Gunn's Gotham City in the DC Universe, but there are also plenty of clues throughout the movie that let us know it takes place some time ago (like the lack of smartphones). It's subtle but important. The other important factor is that this movie exists on its own two feet with virtually no connections to the wider DCU. No references to Batman, Superman, or anything else along those lines.
It's very much an origin story and, in the realm of comic book movies, an origin story tends to give way to a sequel. Financial success tends to dictate a sequel above all else but the fact that Matt Hagen only truly becomes Clayface in his final form in the movie's closing minutes would, on paper, dovetail nicely into a theoretical sequel exploring his life as a more fully-formed villain.
Not that that's totally off the table, but for those who didn't see it, the "Creature Commandos" voice cast include Alan Tudyk as multiple characters, one of them being Clayface. He showed up in the fifth episode, entitled "The Iron Pot." It's been confirmed multiple times that this is indeed the same Clayface portrayed by Tom Rhys Harries in the movie — clearly years later, after he's embraced life as a bad guy.
The episode sees Rick Flag Sr. and Frankenstein investigating professor Aisla MacPherson, who they discover is actually dead. Clayface had been impersonating her, which leads to an all-out brawl between Flag, Frankenstein, and Clayface. Ultimately, Clayface is electrocuted and blown to pieces, seemingly taken care of, though not definitively dead. As the movie made very clear, he's tough to kill. Just because he's in pieces doesn't mean he can't be put back together.
What happened between the events of Clayface and Creature Commandos?
"Clayface" is a standalone DC movie, and its stars are happy to leave it that way. Does that mean Tom Rhys Harries wouldn't be interested in reprising the role? Not necessarily but it's also not essential in light of where things left off. It's crystal clear that Matt Hagen, after destroying his life, embraced a life of crime. It's not hard to see how he'd wind up working for shady folks, continuing his path of murder because he has nothing left.
It's not that we know all of the gritty details of what happened in Matt Hagen's life after he became Clayface. There are years worth of criminal adventures that undoubtedly happened between the events of "Clayface" and "Creature Commandos." But we do know what ultimately happens, so a sequel isn't strictly necessary by any means. The story is pretty clear, even if some of the details are missing in the middle.
There are plenty of upcoming DC Universe movies after "Clayface" and "Man of Tomorrow," but none of those seem to have an obvious place for Matt Hagen in them. The most natural thing would be for him to make an appearance in "Creature Commandos" Season 2, but even that could feel shoehorned depending on the story at hand.
Sometimes it's okay to go with the less-is-more approach. Comic book movies tend to feel endless in some ways, with multiple sequels, reboots, and crossovers. This feels like a situation where there's no real need for more because the character's story, tragic though it may be, has been laid out pretty cleanly.
"Clayface" is in theaters now.