At 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, Clayface clicks with audiences
Gotham’s new creature is catching on with viewers, hinting DC’s body-horror gamble could turn into its next big win.
Audiences are flocking to the gruesome side of the DCU: after opening in theaters on October 23, 2026 , the R-rated Clayface surged to a 94% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes, notably higher than its 76% Tomatometer. The split lines up with what the movie is selling — a hard left into body horror and tragedy — rather than capes-and-quips comfort food.
How it stacks up
Measured against recent DC Studios titles, the early response puts Clayface near the top with moviegoers, even if critics are cooler on it. Here’s the snapshot:
- Clayface — 94% Audience Score; 76% Tomatometer
- Superman — 90% Audience Score
- Blue Beetle — 90% Audience Score
- Supergirl — 72% Audience Score
On the critics’ side, Clayface trails several DCU projects, including:
- Peacemaker
- Creature Commandos
- Lanterns
Who made it — and what they made
The movie leans into a darker, more tragic spin on Batman villain Matt Hagen. Horror stalwart Mike Flanagan developed the script with Hossein Amini, and James Watkins directed. According to DC Studios bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran, they weren’t initially hunting for a standalone Clayface film until Flanagan’s pitch changed their minds. Safran has also said Batman is active in this corner of the DCU, even if he doesn’t show up in the movie.
The performance people are talking about
Tom Rhys Harries anchors the film as Hagen, first playing him as a magnetic Hollywood up-and-comer before the bottom drops out — physically and emotionally. Reviews from outlets including Variety and The Hollywood Reporter single him out for giving the film its emotional center amid all the goo and prosthetics.
The standout set piece many are buzzing about: an airport sequence where Hagen, mid-mutation, desperately slices away warped skin near his eye. It’s a brutal showcase for the practical effects — and for Harries’ unraveling.
The R-rated Clayface opened October 23, 2026 and currently holds a 94% Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score.
Gunn has already said Clayface will return to the DCU, teasing more plans for the character beyond this film.