Mike Flanagan Confirms His CLAYFACE Movie Script Was Inspired by BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES — GeekTyrant
While promoting his new film, The Life of Chuck , the filmmaker opened up about the DC project he once had his hands on and confirmed that his version of Clayface was heavily inspired by the acclaimed two-part Batman: The Animated Series episode 'Feat of Clay.'
When asked if his script was inspired by that, Flanagan told ComicBook:
'Of course it was. I mean that is the perfect [story]. 'Feat of Clay,' Ron Perlman, to me, that's it. That two-parter knocked me out. The short answer is that is absolutely that is what inspired my script.
'That is the world I wanted to live in. Batman: The Animated Series when I was growing up was my Batman. As much as [Michael] Keaton was my Batman, The Animated Series really was my Batman.'
That emotional anchor from the animated series clearly left a mark on Flanagan. While he's not directing the film due to other projects like Carrie, his story may still shape the final product.
A new writer has since jumped on the project, and word is, it's said to be getting a page one rewrite, which is a shame, if true. Flanagan went on to say:
'I don't know what they're doing with Clayface. I'm not directing it, and that filmmaker will need to make it their own. I know that they're doing work on the script.
'I'm off doing other things now, I really hope it remains true to the spirit of what I wanted it to be. But it's not my movie, so I'll be in the audience with you, anxious to see how it comes out.'
Clayface is currently slated as the third film in James Gunn and Peter Safran's new DC Universe, with a September 2026 release date. James Watkins ( The Woman in Black ) is attached to direct, and the screenplay is currently being revised by Hossein Amini ( Drive, Obi-Wan Kenobi ). No casting has been announced, but production is expected to begin later this year.
As for 'Feat of Clay,' it tells the tragic origin of Matt Hagen, a disfigured actor who, in desperation, uses an experimental chemical called Renuyu to shapeshift and keep working. The thing is, It's addictive, and he becomes a puppet for corrupt businessman Roland Daggett, leading to his horrific transformation into Clayface.
That storyline is packed with body horror and emotional despair, feels like something Flanagan could have knocked out of the park.
Previous story reports hinted that Clayface would follow a washed-up B-movie actor who takes a mysterious substance to stay relevant. It's not hard to see how Flanagan might have riffed on the classic Daggett/Hagen dynamic, updated for a new audience, but still rooted in themes of desperation, addiction, and exploitation.
Hopefully, not everything that Flanagan delivered in his script will be scrubbed away. With Amini's track record and Watkins' eye for atmosphere, Clayface could very well be DC's first true body horror character study. A monster movie with a soul.
And while Flanagan isn't behind the camera, here's hoping the bones of his version stay intact. Because if done right, this could be a great film.
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