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DCU's Clayface centers on a disturbing DC antagonist, and it can follow a similar story arc as DC's well-received 2024 series. James Gunn and Peter Safran's DCU is now in full swing. The cinematic universe started in 2024 with Creature Commandos, an animated series focusing on a group of monsters assigned with a dangerous task. The next project was 2025's Superman, which introduced David Corenswet's version of the heroic Kryptonian. The film was a success, earning $618.7 million worldwide. After Superman, Peacemaker season 2 debuted, bringing back John Cena as the titular character.
The first trailer for Clayface was recently shared online, teasing the film's horror tone. In the trailer, Hagen is sitting in a hospital bed with bandages wrapped around his head. As the camera zooms in on his face, other scenes from the film flash by, including a haunting shot of him wiping his face off in a bathtub.
While Clayface is a villain, the film appears to be taking a somewhat empathetic approach to the character. The trailer shows an actor whose life is likely ruined due to his new condition, causing an eventual sinister turn. The film could take a similar direction as 2024's The Penguin, which effectively made its central character empathetic, yet still portrayed them as a pure villain.
The Penguin Is An Excellent Model For A Batman Villain Story
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2022's The Batman explored much of Gotham's criminal underworld and introduced Colin Farrell's Oz Cobb as the right-hand man for John Turturro's Carmine Falcone. After Falcone is killed, Oz uses this opportunity to try to rise to the top of the city's criminal empire, which becomes the main story of 2024's The Penguin. In the series, Oz is portrayed as an underdog whom many people don't take seriously. He wants to prove himself to his doubters, but also has a desperate need to earn his mother's respect.
Throughout the series, Oz does many despicable deeds, but it's hard not to empathize with him as his story and background unfold. He's sought to prove his worthiness since he was a child, and that desperation for respect led him to do many vicious things. While he is victorious, The Penguin's ending reminds audiences of his villainous nature when he kills Vic and leaves his mother alive after her stroke, despite her wishes. It's an excellent ending, as it completes his character arc within the series, while still keeping true to his villainous legacy.
Clayface Should Still Be A Villain By The End Of The Film
Other villain films have often portrayed their characters as anti-heroes. Movies likeMorbiusorKraven the Hunterended with their characters being portrayed more as heroes rather than the villains they're more associated with in the comics. However, Clayface needs to end with the character as a villain for two reasons. First, it's better for the story. A main character who commits horrible deeds can present a more intriguing storyline than a misunderstood anti-hero, as proven by The Penguin.
Additionally, the DCU has already established that Clayface is a villain in DCU canon. In Creature Commandos, he is hired by Princess Ilana Rostovic to murder and impersonate a professor. While investigating the case, Rick Flag Sr. and Frankenstein discover Clayface, eventually defeating him but getting injured in the process. He showed himself to be a formidable foe, and his film needs to show how he got to this state. Though Clayface will create empathy for him, he needs to be the villain seen in the DCU by the film's ending.
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