Set to arrive in theaters in late 2025, Matt Reeves’ The Batman—Part II is one of the few DC Studios’ projects that survived the recent James Gunn shakeup. While Robert Pattinson is set to don the cape — and Bruce Wayne’s grunge-inspired eyeliner — again, not much else is known about the film’s plot. Given the Penguin spinoff series that’s coming to HBO Max, fans can safely assume Colin Farrell will appear in The Batman 2 alongside Paul Dano’s explosive Riddler, but a third villain is rumored to be joining the cast.
Reportedly, DC Comics’ Clayface will make his live-action cinematic debut. Fans who are familiar with Alan Tudyk's comedic portrayal of the character on the adult animated series Harley Quinn are probably wondering how the theatrical, fantastical villain will fit in with Reeves’ grittier, grounded take on the Dark Knight. For those who aren’t familiar with any iteration of Clayface, this all likely sounds like a Sandman-in-Spider-Man-3 situation. (Hopefully that won’t be the case…) Ahead of The Batman 2’s filming, here’s what to know about the many versions of Clayface.
Who Is Clayface?
One of Batman’s strangest adversaries, Clayface is most commonly associated with the virtually indestructible, shape-shifting creature who’s made of — you guessed it — clay. Often portrayed as a tragic figure, Clayface is more of an alias, one that’s been adopted by several DC Comics characters.
On TV, there have been plenty of portrayals of the character, from the Ron Perlman-voiced Clayface on Batman: The Animated Series and Tudyk’s thespian Clayface on Harley Quinn to live-action portrayals on series like Gotham and Pennyworth. But does Clayface have what it takes to make the jump to the big screen?
The character is certainly enduring and adaptable, which is a good sign. Developed by Batman creators Bill Finger and Bob Kane, Clayface first appeared in Detective Comics #40. Back in his 1940 debut, Clayface was the B-list actor Basil Karlo, who assumed the identity of one of his past characters — complete with the clay mask — to pursue a life of crime.
The 1950s version of Clayface was treasure hunter Matthew Hagen. At the time sci-fi plotlines were all the rage, which led Hagen to develop Clayface’s signature shapeshifting powers after being exposed to radioactive protoplasm. Two decades later, yet another character assumed the Clayface alias. Scientist Preston Payne uses Hagen’s blood to try and cure a condition he’s living with — only to morph into a clay-like creature.
Aside from these three iterations of Clayface, there’s also the tech-morphed Lady Clay, a.k.a. Sondra Fuller, who forms the Mud Pack with Basil Karlo and Preston Payne. This also leads to Lady Clay and Payne’s Clayface having a metahuman child with shapeshifting powers, Cassius “Clay” Payne. This fifth Clayface can become soft and malleable, allowing him to withstand bullets. (It’s already clear Clayface would be more fun on the battlefield than, say, Penguin.)
Had enough Clayface? Well, there are a few more worth mentioning from DC Comics’ lore, including: Dr. Peter Malley, a.k.a. Claything, gains his powers by merging with a piece of Cassius; Todd Russell, the seventh Clayface, who is able to morph into any shape and size — until he’s apprehended by Catwoman; and the Batman: Gotham Knights’ version of Clayface, former firefighter Johnny Williams, who transforms into a clay-based feature thanks to a chemical plant explosion.
Is Clayface The Villain Of The Batman 2?
Currently, there is no solid confirmation that Clayface will appear as a villain in The Batman's sequel, but there are plenty of rumors floating around involving the classic character's involvement. “Virtually indestructible, criminally devious, and brilliant at improvisation, even the most harmless-looking incarnations of Gotham’s resident mud-based monster represent a massive potential threat,” DC Comics notes in their official character database. It’s a compelling pitch — one that very well could fit in with the grittier Gotham portrayed in The Batman (2022) and its sequel. So, will Clayface be the villain of The Batman 2?
Since it established a universe separate from the DCEU, The Batman will be getting several spinoff series and films, in addition to the planned Batman-centric trilogy. In addition to The Penguin, a kind of homage to films like Scarface (1983), other planned shows include a horror series set in Arkham Asylum, and a procedural focused on Gotham’s police department. Although not confirmed, a few other films and series based on Batman’s rogues gallery are reportedly up in the air.
Some proposals include the ever-popular Scarecrow, and the less-utilized Professor Pyg. But the one that’s most buzzworthy comes from horror director and writer Mike Flanagan, who’s perhaps best-known for Netflix’s chilling The Haunting of Hill House (2018). Interested in the tragic figure, he’s keen to make a Clayface film — or has said so in the past, anyway. Allegedly, Flanagan and his colleague pitched the idea to DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran in March 2023, with Flanagan supposedly angling for Clayface to be portrayed as a hero. Later, Flanagan called the reports “entirely speculative.”
Who Are Other Potential Villains For The Batman 2?
Although no actor has been cast yet, Clayface could reportedly play a substantial role in The Batman 2according to what some sources told Deadline. This means Reeves’ take on Clayface would join the likes of the Riddler (Dano) and the Penguin (Farrell), and, eventually, Oscar-nominee Barry Keoghan's Joker. While promoting The Batman in 2022, both Pattinson and Reeves expressed interest in featuring several iconic villains in the trilogy’s future installments.
Their picks included the Court of Owls — which is now being explored in The CW’s Gotham Knights — as well as Hush, Mr. Freeze, and Calendar Man. With the addition of Clayface, The Batman—Part II is pretty well stocked on villains, but anything is possible given just how much content DC Studios plans to churn out.