CLAYFACE Set Photos And Videos May Reveal First Look At The DCU Movie's Main Villain

CLAYFACE Set Photos And Videos May Reveal First Look At The DCU Movie's Main Villain

These latest videos and photos from the Liverpool set of Clayface feature a mysterious new character who may turn out to be the movie's main villain...

By MarkCassidy - Sep 01, 2025 04:09 PM EST
Filed Under: Clayface

As filming continues on the Liverpool set of DC Studios' Clayface, these latest photos and video might just reveal a first look at the movie's main villain - though we have no idea who he is or which actor is playing him!

Previous set photos highlighted the cover of the Gotham Gazette, with the headline informing us that Jimmy "Red" McCoy was under investigation. This low-level Batman baddie always seemed unlikely to be the main antagonist, but the bald, well-dressed fella seen walking down the courtroom steps with a lady on his arm could be.

According to Nexus Point News writer Apocalyptic Horseman, some "big-names" were offered this role, but he doesn't recognize this actor, either. If you know who it is, please let us know in the comments.

As for the character, there's some speculation that he might be Roland Daggett, who was introduced in Batman:The Animated Series as a very powerful and very corrupt businessman. Daggett Industries was responsible for the creation of Clayface in the cartoon, so there's a chance this character has been modified slightly as a more-hands on mobster, and the man responsible for disfiguring Matt Hagen's (Tom Rhys Harries) face.

Check out the new photos and videos at the links below.

Clayface will also star Max Minghella (The Social Network, The Handmaid's Tale) as John, a Gotham City detective who becomes suspicious of his fiancé Caitlin's relationship with Matt Hagen. Naomi Ackie (Blink Twice, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Mickey 17) plays Caitlin Bates, a biotech CEO who treats Matt after he's left disfigured by a mobster.

The story will reportedly "center on an ascending actor whose face is disfigured by a gangster. As a last resort, the actor turns to a fringe Elizabeth Holmes-style scientist for help. At first, the experiment is a successful but … well, it wouldn’t be a horror movie if the story ended right there, would it?"

Speak No Evil director James Watkins will helm the project, while James Gunn will produce alongside Peter Safran and The Batman director Matt Reeves, with Lynn Harris and Chantal Nong serving as executive producers.

Mike Flanagan penned the script, but was reportedly unavailable to direct due to his commitments to a Carrie TV series. Screenwriter Hossein Amini, best known for penning 2011’s Drive, was recently tapped to do some rewrites. The project has been given an official release date of September 11, 2026.

Safran shared a few new details on the Flanagan script, noting that Clayface is indeed going to be a full-on horror movie in the same vein as David Cronenberg's The Fly, and more recently, we learned that the movie will also take more than a little inspiration from Coralie Fargeat's body horror hit, The Substance.

"Clayface, you see, is a Hollywood horror story, according to our sources, using the most popular incarnation of the villain – a B-movie actor who injects himself with a substance to keep himself relevant only to find out that he can reshape his face and form, becoming a walking piece of clay.".  

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TheJester187
TheJester187 - 9/1/2025, 4:05 PM
They love shooting the court house and exterior trial or hospital scenes first in Batman films. Ha I guess that’s what gets the camera rolling. Can’t wait for this finally some DC Horror.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 9/1/2025, 6:54 PM
@TheJester187 - horror movies tend to end up at those places, so ... 🤷🏻‍♂️
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 9/1/2025, 4:41 PM
He’s not a big actor in Hollywood atleast but that kinda looks like David Dencik to me who was in No Time To Die amongst other projects and is a Swedish-Danish actor…

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User Comment Image

Anyway , dude definitely has main villain energy though NexusPoint News is saying that it’s an original character who will be the main crime boss villain then one from the comics (granted Roland Daggett was created for BTAS but still).
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 9/1/2025, 4:44 PM
Wasn't crazy about this at first, but a DC take on the Substance could be kind of cool.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 9/1/2025, 6:54 PM
@ModHaterSLADE - I'm 100% with you
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 9/1/2025, 11:08 PM
@lazlodaytona - Yeah, they sold me with that comparison.
ClungeOfSteel
ClungeOfSteel - 9/1/2025, 5:06 PM
Is Gunn forcing the reevesverse and DCU connection 🤔

They're using some of the same locations 👀
WruceBayne
WruceBayne - 9/1/2025, 5:32 PM
@ClungeOfSteel - no. He’s said that they’re different universes.
ClungeOfSteel
ClungeOfSteel - 9/1/2025, 6:11 PM
@WruceBayne - we know, but what if he's using similar locations just in case they aim to blend them at some point 🤔
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 9/1/2025, 6:56 PM
@ClungeOfSteel - seriously. Read bro.
They're different universes.

I understand Marvel can't do it, but grasp it with DC
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 9/1/2025, 7:54 PM
@WruceBayne - He said that they were currently different universes but that it's fluid and in flux. He said it could happen but isn't the plan atm.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 9/1/2025, 7:55 PM
Maybe it is the plan now.
WruceBayne
WruceBayne - 9/1/2025, 8:18 PM
@ObserverIO - Anything is possible but I’m holding on to the DCU getting their own Batman with a new actor.
I like Reeves universe but it’s fine being grounded and less “Fantastic” than the over the top DCU.
The DCU Batman should be over the top in tone. I’m talking Lazarus pits, acid spitting flowers, Poison Ivey talking to her plants, all of that. Bring a little bit of that Tim Burton Batman back.
ClungeOfSteel
ClungeOfSteel - 9/2/2025, 2:49 AM
@lazlodaytona - ive read what he has said but your boy is a liar so I don't believe anything until it plays out. Supposedly several locations are used in both movies 👀 so I'm speculating
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 9/2/2025, 3:51 AM
@WruceBayne - That'd be great, but of course if Battinson is a part of the DCU then he's already a part of that crazy universe and any of those things can happen. They just probably wouldn't happen in a Matt Reeves Batman movie.

But I think Clayface could get weird.
Patient2670
Patient2670 - 9/1/2025, 6:11 PM
The guy looks like that meme of JD Vance.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 9/1/2025, 6:41 PM
Is this movie really coming out on 9/11?
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DenvertheDino
DenvertheDino - 9/1/2025, 6:51 PM
@soberchimera - That happens to be my wedding anniversary date...
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 9/1/2025, 6:56 PM
@soberchimera - I did notice that. seems like poor taste
soberchimera
soberchimera - 9/1/2025, 7:18 PM
@DenvertheDino -
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ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 9/1/2025, 7:56 PM
@soberchimera - ikr, that's the 34th anniversary of Harley Quinn's first appearance.
RolandD
RolandD - 9/1/2025, 6:44 PM
This was less confusing when it was an Elseworlds story. Clayface is a villain, but apparently he’s not the main villain.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 9/1/2025, 8:09 PM
@RolandD - I don’t think it’s confusing

The script writer had said he was inspired by the BatAS Clayface origin 2 parter which had a corrupt businessman responsible for his transformation and that seems to be the case here.
DenvertheDino
DenvertheDino - 9/1/2025, 6:51 PM
After Penguin, I'm excited for this show. Penguin was great!
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 9/1/2025, 6:59 PM
@DenvertheDino - I agree with you. I wasn't a fan of The Batman. Then I finally watched Penguin. THAT show was awesome. It made me go back to The Batman.... it was then tolerable.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 9/1/2025, 7:01 PM
@DenvertheDino - oh, but Clayface is part of the larger DCU. So....
not exactly the same.
DenvertheDino
DenvertheDino - 9/3/2025, 6:46 PM
@lazlodaytona - I agree with you about The Batman. I'm still not a fan of that film.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 9/3/2025, 9:45 PM
@DenvertheDino - yeah. I don't hate on it just to hate. It just did nothing for me.

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