CLAYFACE First Reactions Compare DCU Horror Movie to THE FLY and DARKMAN, Calling It "Shockingly Gruesome"

DC Studios set out to make a jacked-up movie horror with Clayface, and judging by the first reactions, it turned out great!

The upcoming DCU horror movie has screened for critics, and the early response is overwhelmingly positive, with viewers praising its gruesome body horror, disturbing imagery, and a killer performance from Tom Rhys Harries.

Directed by James Watkins (Speak No Evil) from a screenplay by Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House), the film explores the horrifying origin of one of Batman's most recognizable villains.

Early viewers are comparing it to classic horror films like The Fly and Darkman, with several pointing out that it works perfectly well without any knowledge of the larger DC Universe.

DCU Brief was particularly impressed by how far the movie pushes its horror elements, writing: "'CLAYFACE' is a shockingly gruesome horror that holds NOTHING back. It goes all the way with it’s grotesque imagery.

“Surprisingly, it’s also funny. The film goes from darkly depressing to wacky, colourful, and absurd. A welcome change of tone that proves the DCU can do it all."

That sounds like exactly the kind of Clayface movie I was hoping we'd get! A tragic monster story with some seriously twisted horror and a little dark humor thrown in.

Collider's Steven Weintraub also had a great time with the film and revealed that some of its more disturbing moments got a pretty strong response from the audience.

"Clayface was fantastic. An awesome addition to the DCU that doesn't require any knowledge of DC to enjoy. It's a hard R and loaded with brutal scenes that really surprised me. Audience freaked out a few times during my screening to what was being depicted on screen. "

Meanwhile, journalist Chalice Williams praised the movie for successfully blending horror with an unexpected romantic element.

"Clayface is one of the best horrors of the year. Was not expecting it to perfectly mesh horror and romance! Warner Bros & DC cooked with this & Mike Flanagan does not miss with his scripts."

That combination of horror and romance is particularly interesting given Flanagan's involvement. He's fantastic at telling emotionally charged horror stories, so it's encouraging to hear that his influence comes through in the finished movie.

Bill Bria praised the film for standing on its own rather than relying on its connections to the larger DCU. “CLAYFACE is the proof of concept of DC Studios: a movie that works on its own first, all shared universe considerations secondary.

“That it’s also a well-written, beautifully acted body horror/mad science/antihero monster movie à la THE FLY and DARKMAN is the bloody cherry on top.”

Those comparisons make a lot of sense for a character like Clayface. His transformation has always had the potential for some horrific imagery, and it sounds like Watkins took full advantage of that.

Film critic Edward Douglas made similar comparisons while praising the movie's ability to tell an accessible story. “I love Clayface from the Batman comics, but James Watkins' movie does a good job of separating itself as a horror movie that doesn't require knowing anything beforehand. At its best, it reminded me of Sam Raimi's Darkman and Cronenberg's The Fly!”

It's cool that the filmmakers seem to have embraced the character's horror roots rather than turning his origin into another conventional superhero movie.

Phase Hero host Jenna Anderson was also impressed by how the film balances its more disgusting moments with humor and genuine emotion.

"Clayface completely blew me away. It’s disgusting, inventive, and astonishingly funny and earnest. It slots into the DCU so effortlessly. You owe it to yourself to see it in a theater filled with other people’s reactions."

Presenter Brandon Davis praised Watkins' unsettling depiction of Gotham City and singled out Harries for his performance, saying: “Tom Rhys Harries is a star, literally in the movie and for his performance. Dude kills it. Well done by all."

Harries plays Matt Hagen, an aspiring actor whose life takes a horrifying turn after he's disfigured and undergoes an experimental treatment that transforms him into something monstrous.

It's a role that demands a lot from an actor, especially with the story exploring Matt's physical transformation alongside his deteriorating humanity.

Film critic Peter Gray also praised the movie's darker approach, describing it as: "Dark, violent, with little levity to offset the nastiness, this is an exciting addition to Gunn’s DCU,"

The common theme throughout these reactions is that Clayface doesn't pull its punches. It's violent, disturbing, surprisingly emotional, and apparently has some pretty wild moments that audiences aren't going to see coming.

What I find most exciting is that DC Studios appears willing to let its filmmakers explore completely different genres within the same universe. A full-on body horror movie about a Batman villain is an awesome idea, and if these early reactions are any indication, they may have pulled it off.

Of course, these are just the first reactions, but it's really encouraging to see so much praise for the horror, the performances, and the movie's ability to stand on its own.

Clayface arrives in theaters on October 23, 2026, and it sounds like horror fans are in for one hell of a disturbing ride!