Tom Rhys Harries is officially stepping into the DC Universe with “Clayface”.
The 32-year-old British actor has been tapped to play the lead in Clayface, DC’s new horror-driven superhero flick set for a September 2026 release. Known for his roles in White Lines and The Gentleman, Harries reportedly beat out stiff competition, including Jack O’Connell (Sinners), Tom Blyth (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), and George MacKay (1917), for the coveted role.
Clayface is being billed as a stripped-down, horror-centric take on the DC villain. With a modest $40 million budget, the film will be directed by Speak No Evil’s James Watkins and shot at Warner Bros. Leavesden studio later this year. The script comes from horror maestro Mike Flanagan, best known for Doctor Sleep and Netflix’s The Haunting series.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the plot follows a washed-up B-movie actor who transforms into a monstrous mound of living clay after injecting himself with a mysterious substance in a desperate attempt to stay relevant. It’s a body-horror origin story that leans heavily into the psychological unraveling of the character, marking a bold departure from the traditional superhero format.
Matt Reeves, the mind behind The Batman, is on board as producer, alongside Lynn Harris, James Gunn, and Peter Safran. That lineup alone is enough to raise expectations, especially with Gunn and Safran at the helm of DC’s upcoming cinematic overhaul.
While Clayface is still a year out from production, all eyes are currently on Gunn’s Superman, which will hit theaters July 8, 2025. The film stars David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, with Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nathan Fillion in a key supporting role. Gunn has promised a grounded but hopeful take on the character, one that stays true to the comics while ushering in a new era for the DCU.
Speaking about Corenswet, Gunn recently said: “He is the movie star that everyone just dreams he could possibly be, I don’t think anyone really understands the depth of this guy’s talent dramatically, comedically. He’s the best physical action star I’ve probably ever worked with.”
Brosnahan echoed those sentiments in an interview with Deadline, highlighting the film’s message: “It’s a hopeful superhero movie, it’s about the goodness of people and how courage and hope can carry us through.”
Between Superman and Clayface, DC is clearly aiming for a mix of light and dark, with character first storytelling at the center. Clayface looks like it will bring horror and tragedy to the superhero genre in a big way,led by a rising star who’s about to make his mark.
Whether Harries’ Clayface becomes an antihero or full-blown villain, one thing’s for sure,DC is done playing it safe.
