DC Studios has found its Clayface. Welsh actor Tom Rhys Harries has landed the lead role in the upcoming horror-tinged Clayface movie, portraying the infamous shape-shifting Batman villain. This marks a major career breakthrough for Harries, who is relatively unknown in the U.S. but has built a solid resume on stage and screen in the UK.

The casting follows an extensive search that zeroed in on young British talent. Contenders reportedly included Sinners star Jack O’Connell, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes actor Tom Blyth, and 1917 lead George MacKay. Ultimately, DC heads James Gunn and Peter Safran opted to go with Harries after deeper consideration.

Speak No Evil director James Watkins will helm the film, which is said to take a grounded, horror-forward approach. The story centres on a struggling B-movie actor who, desperate to remain relevant, injects himself with a mysterious substance, transforming him into a monstrous being capable of shape-shifting.

The script comes from horror maestro Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep), bringing his signature eerie sensibility to the DC universe. The film is scheduled to release on September 11, 2026, with production expected to begin later this year.

Matt Reeves, director of The Batman, is on board as producer, alongside Lynn Harris, as well as DC Studios heads Gunn and Safran.

For Harries, 35, the role marks a significant leap into the spotlight. He began his career with a part in the BBC fantasy series Jekyll & Hyde and later made his West End debut in Mojo opposite Ben Whishaw and Rupert Grint. He’s since appeared in Apple TV+’s Suspicion, Netflix’s White Lines, and most recently in the Gerard Butler action film Kandahar.