James Watkins To Direct DC Film

James Watkins is set to direct Clayface, DC’s creature feature scripted by Mike Flanagan, sources have confirmed to Deadline.

DC Studios declined to comment.

We were recently first to tell you that both Watkins and Jeff Wadlow were among those in the mix to helm the Clayface film. Now that a director is set, casting can proceed. DC co-bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran will produce alongside The Batman helmer Matt Reeves and Lynn Harris, with Chantal Nong serving as executive producer. Flanagan was never expected to direct the project himself, given his commitment to projects including Universal’s new Exorcist film.

Clayface is rumored to be a horror-thriller-tragedy, with the lead protagonist not expected to be portrayed as the notorious villain he’s known as in the Batman canon. The film is slated to hit theaters on September 11, 2026. The character got his DC introduction as part of Detective Comics #40 in June 1940. Originally, he was portrayed as a moderately successful actor who adopted the identity of a character he’d portrayed in a horror pic after turning to crime. He has a body seemingly made out of clay and has appeared over the years in various films, series, animated works, video games and other forms of media.

Watkins is coming off of Speak No Evil, Universal’s remake of the hit Danish horror film from Christian Tafdrup, which grossed over $76M worldwide last fall. Previously, the multi-hyphenate co-created the AMC series McMafia, also directing features like Eden Lake, The Woman in Black, and The Take. Additional TV credits include The Ipcress File and Black Mirror.

THR was first to the news of the Clayface director deal.