With Clayface, the DC Cinematic Universe is trying to move beyond the superficial “let’s assemble our own team of villains” approach that Marvel and Sony took. More precisely, instead of building DC’s version of the Sinister Six, it focuses on the story of a single villain. And, aware of the recent appetite for horror films, it turns to body horror to give the superhero or supervillain genre some originality. This isn’t the first time it has done something like this. With Joker, it previously made a film that recalled The King of Comedy and Taxi Driver, meaning it has already tried the move of bringing one genre inside another.
Even though James Gunn avoids dark stories, when Gotham is involved a horror film inevitably emerges. Clayface turns into something resembling Cronenberg’s The Fly, The Substance (which made a splash a few years ago), and even the classic Frankenstein story. Unfortunately, though, the story it tells never rises above the repetitive ordinariness of the monster-creation and revenge tale that has been told countless times before. A film whose references we can list one by one will struggle to find its own voice anyway. Here, the references seem more interesting than the idea the film itself puts forward.
You can feel the presence of a James Gunn burning with the need to prove himself at every moment, along with the eagerness of a cinematic universe that is only just getting started to tell the stories of characters who have been left on the sidelines. This is actually a good thing. Gunn’s goal is to bring lesser-known characters to the forefront. His recent announcement of an animated Mister Miracle, a character that, quite literally, very few people know, is an indication of this. In other words, he wants to do what the MCU did at the start.
We shouldn’t forget that Captain America and Iron Man weren’t well-known characters either. Aside from Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man, it can’t be said that any superhero is recognized by wide audiences. But we have all seen where those lesser-known characters were eventually taken. From what I can see, Gunn is pursuing a similar path.
But something is preventing this approach from working. I think the reason is that what is being offered isn’t appealing or watchable enough. Lesser-known characters are always a risk, but in return for taking that risk, you have to give the audience a very good reason. The MCU managed this because it placed those characters in entertaining, memorable, and easily digestible films. DC’s recent period, on the other hand, can’t strike this balance. Superman (2025) was an overcrowded, exhausting film packed with detail, like an amusement park (in the bad sense). Supergirl, likewise, was a production that reeked of superhero fatigue.
Series like Lanterns pleased a segment of viewers with the deep and political subjects they tackled, but failed to satisfy the general audience that wants to see fights, shiny costumes, and superpowers. Truth be told, their complaint isn’t unjustified either. Perhaps we shouldn’t force superhero films to be deeper than they are, and should instead give people what they wanted in the first place.
Clayface is DC’s not-so-successful attempt at creating a new Joker, after having made a bold move with Joker and seeing it pay off. Joker’s success came not only from its boldness but also from having something to say. Clayface, on the other hand, tries to look bold but can’t back it up with substance.
Every time I try, even for a moment, to forget that we’re experiencing superhero fatigue and to view this as a solid step for a newly sprouting universe, I can’t forget just how boring this Morbius-like production is, one that keeps trying to look like something more, something deeper, than it actually is.
