Last week, we learned the two finalists to direct Clayface for DC Studios were Jeff Wadlow (Imaginary) and James Watkins (Speak No Evil). THR confirms that Watkins has landed the gig, following a final presentation to James Gunn that impressed him. Watkins will have $40M budget to work with on the film, centered on the Batman nemesis.
Watkins will have a script by horror maestro Mike Flanagan, who is too busy working on a reboot of The Exorcist to direct Clayface himself. The film will enter on the infamous Bat-villain, really made popular by Batman: The Animated Series but has yet to be seen in live-action.
The report describes Clayface as “a Hollywood horror tale centering on a B-movie actor who injects himself with a substance to keep himself relevant, only to find out that he can reshape his face and form, becoming a walking piece of clay.”
In our previous story, I suggested Watkins might have the edge, mostly because he’s been good at getting the best performances from his stars. Clayface will need a strong lead performance if it’s going to work. Watkins also has done decently at the box office with two of his prior films. The Woman in Black earned $129M back in 2012, while last year’s remake of Speak No Evil made $76M.
Filming on Clayface begins later this year.
