Welsh actor Tom Rhys Harries recently recounted the chaotic circumstances surrounding his casting in the upcoming superhero-horror film Clayface.. While navigating the streets of London on a bicycle to alleviate tension, Harries received a sudden notification that his role in the James Watkins-directed project was official.
A frantic call before a two-hour press deadline
The casting process for the DC Universe film lasted approximately two months, a period Harries described as an intense stress test. According to the report, the actor was cycling through London to calm his nerves when his British agent called him with urgent news. The agent was reportedly boarding a flight from the United States when he realized a press release announcing the casting was scheduled to go live within just two hours.
This lack of a traditional group call with multiple agents added to the unconventional nature of the announcement, as Harries had to process the life-changing news while pedaling through the capital. Harries noted at San Diego Comic-Con that the timing was particularly strange, as he was left to share the news with his inner circle while still riding his bike.
From disfigured Gotham actor to shape-shifting villain
In the upcoming Clayface production, Tom Rhys Harries portrays a character who begins as an actor within Gotham City. the narrative follows this individual after he is disfigured by a gangster, prompting a desperate and dangerous search for a medical remedy . As the report details, this search leads the character to an experimental serum that results in a grotesque transformation into the iconic shape-shifting villain.
This transformation serves as the central horror element of the film, blending superhero tropes with body horror. The character's journey from a civilian actor to a feared antagonist provides a visceral entry point into the darker side of the DC Universe.
James Gunn's expanding DC Universe and the October 23 release
The film Clayface is a key component of the new DC Universe being architected by James Gunn. directed by James Watkins, the movie features a high-profile ensemble cast including Naomi Ackie, who plays the scientist administering the experimental treament. Other notable actors attached to the project include Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, and David Dencik.
Fans of the Batman franchise can expect the film to arrive in cinemas on October 23, marking a significant step in the franchise's recent creative reboot. This release is part of a broader effort to establish a cohesive, genre-bending cinematic landscape under the new DC leadership.
The missing details of the Clayface origin story
While the basic premise of the character's transformation has been established, several specific elements of the plot remain unverified. It is currently unknown which specific gangster is responsible for the character's initial disfigurement, or how the experimental serum's origins tie into the broader lore of the DC Universe. Additionally, while the source confirms the film's genre as superhero-horror, the exact level of graphic content or the specific visual style of the shape-shifting will be revealed only upon the film's release. The audience is also left wondering how the character's relationship with the scientist, played by Naomi Ackie, will evolve throughout the film's runtime.
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