Midnight Mass creator Mike Flanagan reportedly pitched a Clayface movie. However, the filmmaker clarified the details of those Batman spinoff rumors.
After taking over as co-chairman and co-CEO of DC Studios in November 2022, James Gunn has fielded questions about the direction he plans to take the DC movies. While sticking to his signature short, vague style of tweeting, Gunn has kept up with fans' questions pretty well, addressing everything from how The Flash will affect DC's continuity to rumors about the next actor to take over the roles of Superman and Batman. This time it wasn't Gunn setting fans straight about the DCU, but Flanagan.
Following reports that he was involved with pitching Clayface as a villain for The Batman 2, Flanagan cleared things up on his Twitter account, saying, "Re: CLAYFACE - the news today is entirely speculative. When or if something like that ever becomes real, I promise I'll tell you guys." Previously, Flanagan had tweeted about his hopes to someday work on a Clayface project, saying, "Well I've wanted to do a Superman movie since I was a kid, but I would also be really keen to do a standalone Clayface movie as a horror/thriller/tragedy." So, while Clayface has been on Flanagan's mind for some time, there's no evidence that the character or the director will be involved in a DC movie.
Flanagan has made a name for himself as a skilled horror director and writer, with well-received movies such as Hush, Gerald's Game, Ouija: Origin of Evil, and Oculus. He's also behind the Netflix horror series The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor, both of which have garnered praise from critics and audiences alike. Although he's never directed a superhero movie, Doctor Sleep showed he has no problem handling a big-budget adaptation of popular characters.
It's not outside the realm of possibility for Flanagan to become involved with a Clayface project; after all, Flanagan and Gunn got their start in low-budget horror. Gunn should know better than anyone that a director who doesn't have a history with superhero movies can still successfully make one. Additionally, it sounds like Flanagan wants any Clayface project he'd take on to more closely follow the kind of work he already does. After seeing The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor, Flanagan can successfully utilize both horror and tragedy in his work.
With the Harley Quinn show on HBO Max bringing Clayface into the public eye and changing how the character is perceived, the time may come when a Clayface-focused movie would be a popular addition to the DCU. For the moment, it sounds like Clayface fans will have to wait to see the Batman villain on the big screen.
Source: Mike Flanagan/Twitter