DC Studios’ Clayface has officially wrapped principal photography at the start of November, moving the Gotham-set horror movie into post. The wrap came via lead actor Tom Rhys Harries’ social post, lining up with trade chatter that cameras started rolling in late August.
The date to circle is September 11, 2026. Warner Bros. planted that flag earlier this year, and it has held through production.
James Watkins is directing from a script originated by Mike Flanagan and revised by Hossein Amini. The Amini rewrite was reported in May, while Flanagan’s early championing of the project set the tone for a more grounded, tragic horror take.
Casting starts with Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen. Naomi Ackie has been in talks for a key lead opposite him, and Max Minghella has spoken publicly about the film while on the shoot. Entertainment trades have also clocked Eddie Marsan on set.
Production split between stages at Leavesden and extensive location work around Liverpool, which doubled for Gotham. Local reporting spotted Gotham Hospital at the Crown Court, Gotham City Crown Court inside the Central Library, plus activity at Derby Square, Pier Head, and the old Birkenhead Tunnel.
Behind the camera, Rob Hardy handled cinematography. He’s known for striking, textural work on Ex Machina and Mission: Impossible – Fallout, and was recently tied to Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Cast comments from the fall also singled him out by name during filming.
Tone-wise, Clayface is being positioned as a full-on body horror story. James Gunn has said the DCU won’t have a single house style and has pointed to Clayface as an example of something that should feel distinct from Superman. Recent remarks from the set reinforced that the movie is “going there” with the transformations.
Continuity-wise, this is a DCU film. It is not part of Matt Reeves’ The Batman world, despite the familiar Gotham textures of Liverpool’s locations. As for rumor control, Gunn already swatted away the Daniel Radcliffe talk back in February.
What we still don’t know: whether Batman appears at all, what the final MPA rating will be, and when the first trailer drops. With filming wrapped, expect marketing to ramp up once post is further along and the 2026 slate firms up.
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