Midnight Masscreator Mike Flanagan reportedly pitched a Clayface movie. However, the filmmaker clarified the details of thoseBatmanspinoff rumors.
After taking over as co-chairman and co-CEO of DC Studios in November 2022, James Gunn has fielded questions about the direction he plans to take the DC movies. While sticking to his signature short, vague style of tweeting, Gunn has kept up with fans' questions pretty well, addressing everything from howThe Flashwill affect DC’s continuityto rumors about the next actor to take over the roles of Superman andBatman. This time it wasn’t Gunn setting fans straight about the DCU, but Flanagan.
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Following reports that he was involved with pitching Clayface as avillain for TheBatman 2, Flanagan cleared things up on his Twitter account, saying, “Re: CLAYFACE - the news today is entirely speculative. When or if something like that ever becomes real, I promise I’ll tell you guys.” Previously, Flanagan had tweeted about his hopes to someday work on a Clayface project, saying, “Well I’ve wanted to do a Superman movie since I was a kid, but I would also be really keen to do a standalone Clayface movie as a horror/thriller/tragedy.” So, while Clayface has been on Flanagan’s mind for some time, there’s no evidence that the character or the director will be involved in a DC movie.
Flanagan has made a name for himself as a skilled horror director and writer, with well-received movies such asHush,Gerald’s Game,Ouija: Origin of Evil,andOculus. He’s also behind the Netflix horror seriesThe Haunting of Hill HouseandThe Haunting of Bly Manor, both of which have garnered praise from critics and audiences alike. Although he’s never directed a superhero movie,Doctor Sleepshowed he has no problem handling a big-budget adaptation of popular characters.
It’s not outside the realm of possibility for Flanagan to become involved with a Clayface project; after all, Flanagan and Gunn got their start in low-budget horror. Gunn should know better than anyone that a director who doesn’t have a history with superhero movies can still successfully make one. Additionally, it sounds like Flanagan wants any Clayface project he’d take on to more closely follow the kind of work he already does. After seeingThe Haunting of Hill HouseandThe Hauntingof Bly Manor, Flanagan can successfully utilize both horror and tragedy in his work.
WiththeHarley Quinnshow on HBO Maxbringing Clayface into the public eye and changing how the character is perceived, the time may come when a Clayface-focused movie would be a popular addition to the DCU. For the moment, it sounds like Clayface fans will have to wait to see theBatmanvillain on the big screen.
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