Chilling Clayface trailer teases the DCU's first full-blown horror movie

Clayface | Official Teaser - YouTube

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The first trailer for Clayface is here and the DC movie looks terrifying in the best possible way.

Bringing body horror into James Gunn and Peter Safran's revamped DCU, the trailer features our first look at Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen. In this version of the story, he's an actor who becomes disfigured after a horrific attack, leading him to an unusual scientist. Their solution to help him seems to work at first, before he slowly starts shifting into, well... clay.

The Clayface trailer shows a new look at the DCU's Gotham City, where Hagen is hospitalized and bandaged, his bloodied right eye staring directly down the lens. Soundtracked unnervingly by The Flaming Lips' 'Do You Realize??', the teaser features quick flashes of Hagen's glamorous movie star life, his life-changing attack, and some brief moments of experimentation, which almost certainly explain how Hagen becomes the shapeshifting Clayface.

This is already, tonally, a million miles away from DCU stablemates Superman and Supergirl, and may be the closest superhero cinema has yet come to unapologetic horror (you'll probably want to leave the kiddos at home for this one). Elsewhere in the trailer, we get a few shots of Hagen's girlfriend Dr. Caitlyn Corr (Naomi Ackie), including one in a colorful tunnel with an Amusement Mile ad on the wall. There's also a brief shot of actor Eddie Marsan's unnamed character, who might be one of Hagen's facades.

There's no hint of Batman, of course (or any connected DC characters), but there is plenty to indicate what the DCU's take on Clayface's unique powers will look like, with unsettling shots of Hagen's skin melting like wax and dripping over his eyes and mouth. Though, by the final shot, a more confident-looking Hagen can seemingly manipulate his features at will – and even shape his arm into a deadly morning star...

Some horror heavyweights are involved in the upcoming DC movie, including The Haunting of Hill House's Mike Flanagan, who is penning the script. He's joined by Speak No Evil director James Watkins behind the camera of the upcoming Batman villain's origin story.

As well as Rhys Harries in the title role, Star Wars actor Ackie and The Handmaid's Tale star Max Minghella are also in the cast. We're expecting some cameos along the way, too, as the new era of the DCU begins, following the release of Superman in 2025 and Supergirl, which is out this summer.

Clayface isn't the only new DC movie on the way either, with cameras already rolling on Superman sequel Superman: Man of Tomorrow. For more on all things DC, check out our guide on how to watch the DC movies in order.