Clayface's appearance in the DC Universe convinced me that the villain could be a perfect choice for Batman – Part II. While I've been a fan of Clayface since the first moment I saw the distinctive character, I've always been a little back and forth on the theory that Clayface could be the villain of Batmansequence. While there has always been an undeniable appeal to the idea of Clayface appearing in the gritty world of the live-action Batman film, there have also always been complications surrounding the concept that have made it a questionable selection of potential villains.
However, Clayface's debut in the DC Universe timeline highlighted the unique advantages of adapting the character into the DC Universe's history. Batman – Part II in a way that convinced me he could genuinely be perfect for the story. While the DCU iteration is very different than BatmanClayface's version of the antagonist also makes clear several distinct benefits of using Clayface in stories, which still apply to whatever franchise the character is appearing in.
The debut of the DCU's Clayface shows the potential of his story for Batman 2
DC Universe's Clayface was introduced in Creature Commands episode 5, with Rick Flag Sr. and Eric Frankenstein accidentally encountering the villain while investigating a certain Isla MacPherson. It turns out that Isla was killed some time ago, with Clayface disguising himself as a teacher – leading to a confrontation between the three characters that quickly turns into an all-out battle.
Creature Commands episode 5 shows how Clayface can be uniquely useful to a mysterylike anyone who didn't see Clayface appear for a split second in the Creature Commands it was decidedly unlikely that the trailer would be able to guess whether he would be the answer to whether Isla had ulterior motives. Likewise, even those who have seen the trailer would have difficulty predicting the exact timing and nature of the reveal.
Although the world of Batman and Creature Commands are different in the sense that they are two alternative universes – like Batman is confirmed to be an Elseworld project and therefore separate from the main DCU – and in the sense that they are tonally different releases, Creature Commands still does an effective job of establishing how useful and interesting it can be to have Clayface involved in a mystery plot. With BatmanWith the original mystery being such a compelling part of its story, this sequence works as a reminder of the unique potential this specific villain could bring to the sequel.
Clayface from Creature Commandos shows how the villain could fit Batman's tone
Creature Commands Episode 5 – which pits Clayface against Flag Sr. and Frankenstein, who are both established as hardened fighters in their own right – naturally also manages to showcase a number of the shape-shifting villain's unique powers and abilities. There's an inherent sense of horror that's hard to avoid with Clayface's abilities.as demonstrations of Clayface trying to crush or suffocate people with his clay body often lean into actual horror movie territory, and his ability to shapeshift into other people is also often able to fall into the same category.
As such, Creature Commands' Clayface manages to once again underline the potential of a truly horrific antagonist to Batman – Part II, in the same way that the original film made a point of showing The Riddler as a serial killer responsible for a wide variety of Saw-like deadly traps. While this Riddler would be more grounded than his claymation comrade conventionally is, even that isn't impossible to translate into a more realistic iteration, as keeping Clayface in the form of one of his human dopplegangers – with a few moments hinting at more lies underneath – could prove truly effective in terms of tonality.
The Different Number of Clayface Adaptations Proves He's the Perfect Batman 2 Choice
As a well-known figure in Batman's rogues' gallery, Clayface has had many iterations over the years – particularly in recent history, helping to show the potential Batman – Part II have to once again adapt the character and adjust it in a different wayas there is significant precedent for multiple releases taking Clayface in different directions. Creature Commands' Clayface is played by Alan Tudyk, who also voices a friendlier Clayface Harley Quinn cartoon. Comparatively, Clayface's story in Batman Resurrection took a more grounded approach to the villain's origin story, giving an idea of the character's body horror potential.
In fact, it is even theorized that The penguin introduced Batman the universe's version of Clayface via Eve Karlo – who shares her last name with the original Clayface, Basil Karlo – as the character replicates the form of Oz's mother at the end of the show, and even before that is said to change his form in a certain way. sense, although more to serve its clientele. Combined with the slew of other figures that have adapted Clayface in various ways, I really think it's possible for Clayface to take on a new form. Batman – Part IIalthough it is unclear what the future holds.
The Batman Part II is the sequel to Matt Reeve's The Batman, released in 2022, and will pick up where the original film left off. The film shares a universe with HBO Max's original Penguin series and sees the return of the Riddler and a different incarnation of the Joker.
- Release date
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October 2, 2026
Upcoming DC film releases