Clayface targets film industry

Warner Bros. is releasing a new adaptation of a DC Universe character who has appeared in comic books since 1940. The film, titled Clayface, transforms the shape-shifting villain into a modern serial killer narrative.

James Watkins directs the project, which centers on Matt Hagen, a fictional movie star played by Tom Rhys Harries. The character is depicted as a handsome actor with a rising career and a large ego. His downfall begins after receiving an Academy Award nomination and meeting Mia Torrez, the girlfriend of crime lord Markos Szabo.

Szabo and his associates mutilate Hagen's face during a nightclub encounter. The film depicts the injury with close-up shots and extensive blood loss. Because the mobsters control the local police and justice system, Hagen cannot seek legal remedy. His business manager, Frank, also drains his finances, leaving him in poverty.

Hagen discovers an experimental therapy developed by Dr. Caitlyn Corr, played by Naomi Ackie. The treatment uses nanocells controlled by artificial intelligence to repair damaged flesh. A single injection restores Hagen's appearance, allowing him to attend a red-carpet premiere for a film he previously starred in.

The restoration proves temporary as his features begin to sag without warning. In desperation, Hagen injects himself with an overdose of the formula. This makes him semi-immortal and capable of instant healing. When angered, he can morph into the likeness of people who have wronged him.

Screenwriters Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini structure the plot around Hagen's pursuit of revenge rather than a return to his previous life. The film features a high number of deaths and gory violence. It includes upper female and rear nudity, pervasive rough language, and a few profanities.

The Motion Picture Association has rated the film R, meaning viewers under 17 require an accompanying parent or adult guardian. The OSV News classification marks the film as O, indicating it is morally offensive to some viewers.