Clayface may be more important to the DCU than we realized as James Gunn confirms it's set before Superman and "very connected" to the wider universe

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DC Studios boss James Gunn has confirmed Clayface's surprising spot on the DCU timeline.

In response to a fan on Threads asking whether the upcoming DC horror takes place before or after Superman, Gunn wrote, "Before. It's the first DCU film out of chronological order."

In a separate post, Gunn added that Clayface is "very connected" to the wider DCU story, but that "the standalone story is what's most important."

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If you're keeping score, Clayface is set before Superman, with Supergirl taking place after the events of both. How Matt Hagen's gory body horror Batman villain will factor into the overall universe, however, remains to be seen.

Clayface, which Gunn has previously described as a true horror film rather than a hybrid superhero horror, stars Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, an actor who undergoes a startling transformation after a vicious attack – and can seemingly morph into anyone at will. Excitingly, it's also penned by Mike Flanagan, who scared us all silly with the likes of The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass on Netflix.

The first Clayface trailer certainly wore its horror heart on its sleeve, even featuring plenty of Gotham-centric Easter eggs that had fans wondering if Batman has a presence in the James Watkins-directed movie.

Elsewhere in the DCU this year, Supergirl flies onto the scene this June – including a cameo from David Corenswet's Superman. Lanterns, starring Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler, is coming to HBO Max this August.

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For more, check out all the latest on DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.

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Bradley RussellSenior Entertainment Writer

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

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