DC Mastered the Formula Marvel Couldn't Figure Out

Published Oct 25, 2026, 12:06 PM EDT

Abby Jackam is a contributer for Collider and ShowSnob, a media journalist for Trill Mag, and an aspiring novelist. She graduated Washington State University Vancouver in 2025 with a Bachelor's degree in Humanities. 

Whenever she can, Abby is writing. From research papers to book reviews, Abby's passion lies in storytelling and literary pursuits. 

DC and Marvel have been comic rivals for decades. As the main producers of superhero content, it's easy to pit them against each other. They both have their similarities, but Marvel has had more success with its live action universe, permanently altering the superhero film genre. DC, on the other hand, is still figuring out its cinematic universe. But while both have their highs and lows, Marvel failed at one thing that DC was able to master with its newest release, Clayface.

Clayface isn't the first project to create a villain's origin story without the main hero. Marvel and Sony have tried to introduce new villains in standalone films, but they have largely been unsuccessful or entirely forgettable. But DC's newest film handles this tactic differently. Directed by James Watkins and story by Mike Flanagan, Clayface proves that a hero's villain can be the star of the story without the hero in it, but there's a catch: the story needs to know who the main character is, and Marvel proved it couldn't figure that out.

'Clayface' Understands Its Genre

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

After a mistake leaves him disfigured, rising actor Matt Hagan (Tom Rhys Harries) is desperate to get his old life back. He's ostracized from society, cut out from the industry, and leered at by all who behold him. When he discovers an experimental treatment created by Caitlyn Corr (Naomi Ackie), Matt is prepared to try anything to fix his ruined face. As the treatment adapts to his lingering anger, Matt's body becomes increasingly unstable, morphing into something new and dangerous.

Clayface's origin story is steeped in body horror, and the movie doesn't stray away from the grotesque elements. There are plenty of disturbing sequences that push the limits on what audiences can tolerate. The core of this movie's conflict centers around Matt's ruined face. He needs his face to be an actor, but also to be accepted by our visual, vain society. As he grows more vengeful towards his enemies and comfortable with his powers, Matt's new abilities become instruments for violence. The film doesn't shy away from horrific psychological content or gruesome brutality. It leans into the disturbing transformation Matt undergoes and centers the film in a distinct genre.

'Clayface Didn't Need Batman to Succeed

When Sony announced its series of standalone movies focusing on Spider-Man villains, a common question audiences had been "Where is Spider-Man?" It seemed odd to introduce characters like Morbius and Madame Web into a universe void of the iconic hero associated with these villains. For Sony, they didn't succeed in branching off with these standalone films for a variety of reasons. While Spider-Man is incredibly popular, not all of his villains have the same recognition. With the complicated shared rights between Marvel and Sony, Sony was unable to create a cinematic universe centered on Spider-Man because they were unable to use Spider-Man as a character. Audiences began to wonder why they should see a movie about a Spider-Man villain if their favorite web-slinger would never make an appearance.

Clayface is lucky to not be in the same situation as Sony's villains. In DC's new film universe, it is anticipated that Clayface and Batman will eventually meet in some future project. But since the caped crusador wasn't in Clayface, the same question Spider-Man fans had can be asked, but it can be strongly argued that Batman wasn't needed in this film.

Clayface introduced audiences to the DCU's Gotham, setting the stage for Batman to eventually make an appearance. But the film doesn't spend any time on Batman. It doesn't hint at his future reveal, doesn't leave Easter eggs for fans to piece together. It focuses on Matt and his story — and the film is better for it. By solely telling the story it set out to tell, Clayface gives the audience the chance to understand an iconic villain without the shadow of his heroic counterpart. If Batman had been in the film, it would have turned the story into something more akin to a conventional superhero story instead of a gruesome horror film that happens to take place in a superhero universe. While some fans might have wanted to see the DC's new Batman, it's better for the story that he didn't appear.

DC's new universe has been a bit rocky, but what they have proven is their willingness to try new genres. Superman and Clayface feel like drastically different films, despite the fact they are within the same universe. That's a remarkable feat, especially when Marvel projects tend to all feel the same. Clayface proves that audiences want creative storytelling, especially from the superhero genre. Moving forwards, if DC is able to experiment with new genres and themes, they'll be able to make a cinematic universe unlike anything Marvel has created.

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  Tom Rhys Harries

  Matt Hagen / Clayface

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  Naomi Ackie

  Dr. Caitlin Bates

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  Max Minghella