They called Clayface “the new face of Gotham,” and Batman fans had a lot to say about it. DC Studios’ latest tagline sparked a heated debate among fans over what it means for the Dark Knight’s future.
DCU fans demand to see Batman after Clayface’s new tagline
DC Studios released the official trailer for Clayface on July 22. Producer Matt Reeves and James Gunn shared the trailer on X with the tagline, “Meet the new face of Gotham.” The body horror thriller stars Tom Rhys Harries and hits theaters on October 23.
The tagline quickly sparked debate among DCU fans on social media. One user wrote, “I hate that tagline with no DCU Batman yet. Like, what are we going for here?” Another user replied to Reeves directly, urging the studio to “connect this to The Batman 2 already.”
Several fans pushed back against the criticism with their own takes. One user pointed out the wordplay, noting that “ClayFACE” and “the new FACE” share an obvious connection. Another joked that Clayface is “the face of Gotham with no Batman to protect it.”
The film sits between two Matt Reeves-directed Batman movies in the timeline. The Batman was released in 2022, and The Batman Part II is set for 2028. DC Studios previously expanded that universe with the HBO series The Penguin.
James Watkins directs the film from a script by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini. Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, and Aaron Paul round out the cast. The story follows Matt Hagen, a rising actor left disfigured by a crime boss.
He undergoes an experimental treatment that restores his appearance but also gives him shapeshifting abilities. DC Studios describes the film as a tale that “unravels one man’s horrifying descent from rising Hollywood star to revenge-filled monster.”
Clayface is the third film in the DCU and the sixth installment of Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.
