The DCU is just getting started and with aClayfacemovie on the horizon, the new franchise would do well to revisit one of the villain’s best modern stories. It was only months ago that James Gunn revealed that aClayfacemovie was in production, written by horror icon Mike Flanagan as the third entry in the DCU.
While fans havewondered how Clayface wasinteresting enough to hold his own story (especially before the DCU’s Batman is properly introduced), the truth is there’s a solid take on the villain from just a few years ago.Detective Comics’annual from 2018 had a surprisingly freshtake on Clayface’s originthat really gets to the heart of the villain.
The annual showcased how Basil Karlo went from a promising movie star to movie monster come to life thanks to an incredibly tragic series of events. It’s a story that not only does the classic Batman villain justice, it would be the perfect story tointroduce the world to Clayface.
Dectetive Comics Annual 2018 #1Was a Tragic Look at the Classic Foe
InDetective Comics Annual 2018 #1by James Tynion IV, Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, Andriano Lucas, and Sal Cipriano, a flashback reveals Basil Karlo’s childhood, showing he was the son of a practical special effects artist. Karlo’s father failed at his work and told his son that no matter what, Basil should never let anyone see his ‘inner monster’.
Clayface was a big part of Tynion’s run onDetective Comicsand even briefly joined the Bat-Family!
Years later, Basil is a rising movie star. Unfortunately, he takes a call while driving informing his father died and the shock causes Basil to crash. His face is ruined, and his manager informs him his career is over. However, Basilis able to regain his good looks thanks to a special chemical his father used on his effects.
…Karlo attempts to steal the Renu from the GCPD evidence locker.
Unfortunately, Basil stash of Renu is getting low, and he has to steal some from a business in Gotham. He’s caught by Batman and exposed to the world as a criminal. Batman gives Karlo the option to talk with the DA to inform on the supplier of Renu. Instead, Karlo attempts to steal the Renu from the GCPD evidence locker.
Basil is shot and is covered from head to toe in Renu, transforming him into his Clayface form. With Karlo’s life utterly ruined, Clayface attacks the set of the movie he lost out on. Batman heads out to warn the set, but Karlo is already on the scene andthe story ends with Clayface fighting Batman for the first time.
Clayfaceis a Gambit, But It Can Work
The DCU Can (and Should) Take a Different Approach Than the MCU
After a few years of trouble with the DCEU, things seemed like they were finally getting back on track with the DCU, spearheaded by James Gunn and Peter Safran. When the new franchise was announced, there were a number of choices that got fans really excited, including the upcomingSupermanreboot, aSupergirlmovie, and even aGreen Lanternshow.
But almost two years after the first chapter of the DCU was announced, DC Studios revealed that it was adding a surprise addition to “Chapter One – Gods and Monsters”.AClayfacemovie, written by Mike Flanagan got the green lightand was being put into production for a surprise 2026 date, making it the third movie in this particular phase.
Clayface is set to be released July 08, 2025!
Fans were understandably confused. Clayface hadn’t even been in a Batman movie, and the only other Dark Knight rogue to receive their own film wasJoker. Even stranger, it’s already been confirmed that Batman won’t be inClayface. It’s definitely a different approach to how the MCU or even the DCEU operated, but that might work in the DCU’s favor.
It’s a risk, sure, but big risks tend to yield big rewards.
Fans have gotten used to traditional superhero universes, not to mention traditional superhero movies. Given the recent pains the MCU has felt from under-performing films with bloated budgets,it’s honestly not a bad idea to go with a smaller-budgeted filmsthat gives fans something completely unexpected. It’s a risk, sure, but big risks tend to yield big rewards.
Detective Comics 2018 Annual #1Shows What aClayfaceMovie Needs
ClayfaceNeeds to be Half-Body Horror, Half-Shakespearean Tragedy
Clayface is an odd duck in the Batman rogues’ gallery as he’s not as wantonly destructive as Joker or maniacally egotistical as Riddler. At his core was a good person, a talented person, who was driven to crime after having everything snatched away from him because of fate. Beyond the horror,Clayface’s story needs to have an element of tragedy.
AClayfacemovie should play up two things: His unique powers and his flawed nature.Detective Comics Annual #1does both of these. Not only is it gruesome to see him transform from a good-looking actor to a monster, but the fact that he tries so hard to achieve his dream and still comes up short is painfully real.
… it can serve as a solid reference for what truly makes the character.
Granted, there are decades’ worth of Clayface stories for the DCU to draw inspiration from and theClayfacemovie should be more than a straightforward adaptation. But this annual can serve as a solid reference for what truly makes the character.Clayface’s insecurities, his tenacity, his entitlement, and yes, his powers are all displayedin this incredible character study.
There’s no doubt Mike Flannagan has put together an incredible script (especially if theClayfacemovie was green-lighted so fast). But it’s imperative to get Basil Karlo right if the DCU wants people to engage with his first big screen appearance. Taking cues from this particular story will go a long way in doing justice toClayface.
