{"id":149981,"date":"2025-09-20T21:39:11","date_gmt":"2025-09-20T21:39:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/149981\/"},"modified":"2025-09-20T21:39:11","modified_gmt":"2025-09-20T21:39:11","slug":"the-next-batman-in-theaters-comes-out-in-a-year-and-promises-to-drive-fans-crazy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/149981\/","title":{"rendered":"The next Batman in theaters comes out in a year and promises to drive fans crazy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tGotham returns to theaters in a year, but the cowl may not be the headline act. What happens when the city\u2019s most familiar names stir in the shadows and the face of the story refuses to stay the same?\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Clayface steps out of Gotham\u2019s shadows with a standalone feature inside the DC Universe, directed by James Watkins. The film follows actor Matt Hagen\u2019s metamorphosis into the shape-shifting foe, led by Tom Rhys Harries with Naomi Ackie and Max Minghella in the ensemble. Early peeks nod to Robin, Joker, Black Canary, Zatanna and Black Mask, signaling deep connective tissue across the DCU. Set for September 9, 2026, it rides the wave of momentum after James Gunn\u2019s Superman while laying tracks for future spin-offs and series.<\/p>\n<p>A new chapter in Gotham: \u201cClayface\u201d arrives<\/p>\n<p>The excitement is real: on September 9, 2026, the DC Universe will unveil its latest film, \u201cClayface,\u201d directed by James Watkins. Stepping away from the traditional cape-and-cowl focus, this story embraces a darker angle, centering on Matt Hagen, the tragic figure behind the infamous Clayface, and hinting at a bold new era for Batman-related stories in the DCU.<\/p>\n<p>From actor to villain: Matt Hagen, aka Clayface<\/p>\n<p>At the heart of \u201cClayface\u201d lies the downfall of Matt Hagen, a once-renowned actor whose life veers into catastrophe. The film explores his origin in depth, charting a rise and a devastating fall that unlocks his terrifying ability to reshape himself into anyone or anything. Tom Rhys Harries takes on the role, with early buzz pointing to a performance that could redefine his career and anchor a layered, character-driven narrative.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">with all the references of dcu characters like joker, black canary, black mask, and zatanna on the set of \u2018clayface\u2019 seems very interesting to me. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/tbv19I5TcZ\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/t.co\/tbv19I5TcZ<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8hCKQ4IxTQ\" rel=\"nofollow\">pic.twitter.com\/8hCKQ4IxTQ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Mandevil (@Mandevil23) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Mandevil23\/status\/1965509350367395983?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">September 9, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The wider DC Universe gets involved<\/p>\n<p>Interconnected storytelling takes center stage as \u201cClayface\u201d weaves in references to Robin, Joker, Black Mask, and Black Canary. These appearances are positioned as more than nods, with several reportedly carrying narrative weight that could seed future DCU arcs. Set within the framework built under James Gunn, the film is poised to act as a bridge toward upcoming projects while keeping Hagen\u2019s journey firmly in focus.<\/p>\n<p>James Watkins and his vision<\/p>\n<p>James Watkins, known for meticulous suspense and character depth, aims to deliver a fresh angle on the superhero genre, pivoting from straightforward battles to a haunting tale of personal tragedy. The tonal ambitions invite comparison to standout DC entries like \u201cJoker\u201d and Gunn\u2019s \u201cSuperman: Legacy,\u201d with an emphasis on flawed, compelling characters whose choices drive the drama.<\/p>\n<p>Setting the stage for a larger universe<\/p>\n<p>\u201cClayface\u201d threads its standalone story into the broader DCU fabric, placing familiar names alongside a self-contained arc that could open doors for Matt Hagen\u2019s continued evolution. Whether supporting players take on larger roles down the line or new spin-offs emerge, the groundwork is being laid for expansion. All eyes turn to September 2026 as DC widens its world and deepens its roster of complex antiheroes.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Gotham returns to theaters in a year, but the cowl may not be the headline act. What happens&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":149982,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[96,2839,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-149981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-movies","tag-entertainment","tag-movies","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149981","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=149981"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149981\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/149982"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=149981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=149981"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=149981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}