Clayface: Mike Flanagan Pitches Batman Villain Movie to Warner Bros. & DC

Doctor Sleep director Mike Flanagan has reportedly pitched a Clayface movie to Warner Bros. and DC, which would focus on the iconic Batman villain.

Deadline is reporting that the movie would feature the character in a non-antagonistic role, contrasting his usual portrayal as a villain. The movie has apparently not been greenlit or turned down yet, though Flanagan and Trevor Macy — the director’s Intrepid Pictures partner — have met with DC Studios Co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran. The outlet also states that Flanagan’s Clayface idea was not pitched as part of Matt Reeves’ The Batman sequel, though other sources say that the villain will play a part in The Batman – Part II.

The character of Clayface first appeared in Detective Comics #40 back in 1940. The most commonly known version of the character is that of Basil Karlo — a B-list actor who goes insane upon hearing that his most famous movie is being remade without his inclusion. Various iterations of the shapeshifting villain have appeared in different forms of Batman media, including in shows like Gotham and Batman: The Animated Series and in video games like the Lego Batman series and Batman: Arkham City.

The DC Universe’s first phase, called Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, will feature a multitude of different movies and television shows. A few of the announced projects include Superman: Legacy, a Batman and Robin-focused movie called The Brave and the Bold, a Supergirl movie titled Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, a Swamp Thing film, and multiple TV shows.