While Superman (2025) launched James Gunn's new DC Universe, one of the franchise's biggest unanswered questions remains who will play Batman in The Brave and the Bold.
The upcoming Batman reboot, directed by Andy Muschietti, is expected to introduce a new Dark Knight to the DCU. However, DC Studios has yet to reveal the actor who will take on the iconic role, and no release date has been announced.
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That uncertainty has only fueled interest in another DCU Gotham City-set project that arrives first: Clayface (2026).
Directed by James Watkins from a script by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, the film follows struggling actor Matt Hagen, who becomes the shape-shifting Batman villain after a horrific incident. Described as a body-horror movie, Clayface is already generating significant attention ahead of its October 2026 release.
Recent promotional material offered fans their best look yet at star Tom Rhys Harries as Hagen. DC first unveiled the character through in-universe magazine covers portraying him as a rising star. When the first trailer arrived, those same covers appeared damaged and distorted, teasing the character's gruesome transformation. Watch the official trailer below:
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Speaking with  Club Ciné (via Comicbookmovie.com), Harries discussed joining the DCU and praised both Flanagan and Amini for crafting a story that stands on its own despite being connected to a larger franchise.
“I've been a huge Mike Flanagan fan for as long as I've been watching film and TV,” Harries said. He later described the project as “meta,” noting that he is “an actor playing an actor.”
Other Upcoming DCU Movies
DC Studios is preparing to release Supergirl (2026) on June 26. Starring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, the film marks the second DCU movie following Superman.
Looking ahead, Man of Tomorrow (2027) is also in development, with David Corenswet returning as the Man of Steel alongside Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor.
Whether Batman appears in Clayface remains unknown, but the film is quickly becoming one of the DCU's most intriguing projects.
Clayface stars Tom Rhys Harries, Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, and David Dencik. The film is scheduled for release on October 23, 2026.
Are you excited about Clayface? What do you think of the trailer? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
