Article by Chris Foti
Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House/Bly Manor, Doctor Sleep) wants to continue the trend of horror directors making comic-book movies.
While the term “comic-book movie” is a blanket term, films in that genre can have a wide range. They can be gritty and realistic like The Dark Knight Trilogy or cosmic and weird like Dr. Strange. They can can be serious like Batman v Superman or comedic like Guardians of the Galaxy. One sub-genre that superhero movies haven’t quite explored too much is horror.
New Mutants gave it a try, but the film didn’t seem to work on many levels. James Wan has expressed interest in an Aquaman horror-spinoff about the Trench, but news has been quiet on that lately. Morbius is due out this year, so the jury is still out on if that one.
When responding to fans on Twitter, one asked Flanagan what character/team he would like to direct in a DC film. His first choice was Superman, but the director said that he’d also like to do a standalone Clayface horror/thriller.
Well I've wanted to do a Superman movie since I was a kid, but I would also be really keen to do a standalone Clayface movie as a horror/thriller/tragedy. https://t.co/68nZFLOGLT
— Mike Flanagan (@flanaganfilm) January 8, 2021
DC Needs To Fill the Slates
DC Films president Walter Hamada has recently stated how they hope to release six DC films a year. Four in theaters and two on HBO Max. This means that DC will need to start getting creative in what films are made. And given the massive success of Joker, other villain spinoffs seems like a logical choice.
Clayface might not be the household name Joker is, but he has the potential to be a very horrific, and yet sympathetic character. Just look at how he was treated in Batman: The Animated Series. A disfigured actor trying to keep his career and turns into a clay monster when his addiction causes him to steal from a slimy businessman. With Clayface being able to turn into, well, anything, the potentials in horror here are endless. Plus, he’s never been in a live-action Batman film and I think it is time.
To be clear, there is no active development by Flanagan and/or DC regarding a Clayface film. The director has merely expressed interest. But given his huge critical success in horror the past few years, this would be a huge win for WB.
Would you like to see a Clayface horror film, directed by Mike Flanagan? What other villains do you think could take this route? Man-Bat would be near the top of my list. Let us know!
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