James Gunn has clarified the placement of the upcoming Clayface film within the DC Universe timeline, confirming it takes place before the events of last year’s Superman movie, despite its scheduled release this September.
The announcement came through a series of posts on Threads, where Gunn responded to fan questions about the film’s chronological position. When asked whether Clayface was set before or after Superman, he simply replied, “Before,” and added that it is “the first DCU film out of chronological order.”
In other words that while Superman launched the rebooted DCU last summer, followed by Supergirl this summer and Man of Tomorrow next year as a sequel, Clayface will be set earlier in the timeline—during a period when Superman has not yet discovered the truth about his origins on Earth and Lex Luthor is actively operating in the background.
Gunn emphasized that although Clayface is deeply connected to the larger DCU narrative, its primary focus remains as a standalone story. He described it as a body horror film centered on the classic Batman villain, noting that the debut trailer already signals a strong commitment to the genre.
“From the start we’ve been clear the DCU would be interconnected but each project would be full expressions of their writers and directors,” Gunn said, citing examples like Saga of the Swamp Thing, Justice League International, Killing Joke, and All-Star Squadron from DC Comics as tonal variations that mirror the intended diversity of the film universe. He reiterated that Clayface is not a hybrid superhero horror film but a pure horror movie, allowing the story to dictate its genre.
Despite being set in Gotham, the likelihood of Batman appearing in Clayface appears low. Gunn has not yet finalized plans for introducing Batman into the DCU, particularly given the separate continuity of Matt Reeves’ The Batman films starring Robert Pattinson.
Reeves has confirmed that The Batman 2 is scheduled for release on October 1, 2027—five and a half years after the first film—and that he intends to complete a trilogy as part of his Batman Epic Crime Saga, a plan still active as of 2024.
Since Gunn has ruled out the possibility of Pattinson’s Batman crossing over into the DCU, a new actor will be needed to portray the Caped Crusader in the upcoming The Brave and the Bold. Gunn has stated that updates on that project will not come until after The Batman 2 releases, pushing any potential news to 2028 at the earliest.
He further explained that he avoids commenting on Batman’s development during active production to prevent interference, saying, “I’m dependent on when there’s an actionable script ready so there is no way of me guessing this,” and added, “I wouldn’t want to cloud the Batsphere until after that.”
Gunn similarly reiterated his commitment to avoiding scheduling conflicts, stating he will not release two Batman films in the same year, emphasizing the importance of both Batman and Wonder Woman to the DCU while maintaining creative spacing.
Reflecting on past comments, Gunn acknowledged during the promotion of Superman last year that “Batman’s my biggest issue in all of DC right now,” and expressed disinterest in a “funny, campy” interpretation of the character.
Meanwhile, Creature Commandos—the DCU’s canon animated series—offered a glimpse of Batman in Episode 6, showing him on a rooftop observing crime boss Doctor Phosphorus. Gunn clarified that the intentionally vague portrayal was due to his request for “more silhouette” after the initial design proved too detailed for his current vision.
He noted that the scene confirms Batman’s existence and notoriety within the DCU during the events of Creature Commandos, Superman, and by extension, Clayface, making an origin story unnecessary at this stage.
While fans may hope for a similar subtle nod to Batman in Clayface, Gunn suggested it is more likely that any reference would be minimal—perhaps a passing mention or visual cue—if included at all.
The next major development to watch for is the release of The Batman 2 on October 1, 2027, which will likely precede any official updates on The Brave and the Bold and the eventual integration of Batman into James Gunn’s DCU.
Stay tuned to World Today Journal for ongoing coverage of the DCU’s evolving timeline and future announcements from James Gunn and DC Studios.