CLAYFACE Star Tom Rhys Harries Teases That Matt Hagen Knows Batman Is in Gotham City: "We Have Footage"

Did Tom Rhys Harriesjust let a Batman secret slip? The Clayface star may have revealed a little more than he intended about the Dark Knight's presence in Gotham City, and now fans are wondering if Batman could have a bigger connection to the upcoming DCU horror movie than expected.

During an interview with ComicBook, Harries was asked whether his character, Matt Hagen, or Naomi Ackie's Dr. Caitlin Bates knows that Batman is operating in Gotham.

His response was pretty interesting, especially when he seemed to catch himself mid-answer. “We have footage, and I don't think it's… I don't know how much I can say about this. Yes, we had discussions about that at length."

Well, that's certainly one way to get fans talking! Harries didn't clarify what he meant by "footage," which leaves a couple of interesting possibilities. He could be referring to footage of Batman himself, or perhaps scenes involving Matt and Caitlin discussing the vigilante's activities in Gotham.

Either way, his hesitation suggests there's something about Batman's role in the story that he isn't supposed to reveal just yet.

Fans were quick to pick up on the moment, with one writing on X, "It definitely sounds like bro slipped up here. I'm not saying Batman is in the film but like genuinely he either misspoke or dropped a nuke."

Another fan joked, "Bro pulled a Tom Holland," referencing the Spider-Man actor's reputation for accidentally revealing Marvel movie spoilers.

A Batman connection makes perfect sense for Clayface. The film explores Matt Hagen's transformation into one of Gotham City's most dangerous villains, and the character has a long history as an enemy of the Caped Crusader in DC Comics.

There's also the question of how Batman fits into James Gunn's larger DC Universe, and DC Studios has yet to cast DCU's Dark Knight inThe Brave and the Bold.

Could Clayface offer our first glimpse of that version of Batman, or at least establish what he's been doing in Gotham? It's possible, although Harries' comments don't confirm an actual appearance.

Batman has already been referenced in the DCU series Lanterns, with Hal Jordan acknowledging the hero's existence. So, having Gotham's most famous vigilante come up in Clayface wouldn't be much of a surprise.

Director James Watkins has also talked about Batman's influence on the film, previously saying: "You're in a city called Gotham. So I guess you feel the shadow of the Bat inherently. Because of the nature of where you are."

That makes it clear Batman is part of Gotham's identity, even if he never physically appears in the movie. While there's no confirmation that Batman will appear in Clayface, it's interesting that the filmmakers spent time discussing how the characters would acknowledge him.

Regardless, Batman is obviously lurking somewhere in the shadows of Gotham City while Matt Hagen's terrifying transformation unfolds

We'll find out soon enough when Clayface hits theaters on October 23, 2026.