Gunn’s body horror list for the Clayface premiere
The anticipation for the next DC Universe movie, Clayface, is bubbling over, and co-CEO James Gunn has stepped in as the master curator, providing a deliciously unsettling roadmap for the upcoming cinematic experience.
To get fans sufficiently stoked for what promises to be a fleshy, goopy nightmare, Gunn shared a curated list of body horror films on Threads. This isn’t just a casual recommendation; it’s an immersion into the deep end of cinematic dread, leaning heavily on the masters of body-focused horror, including classics like The Fly, Videodrome, and The Brood, alongside seminal works from David Cronenberg.
Gunn’s selection demonstrates a clear appreciation for visceral, disturbing storytelling. Beyond the Cronenberg influence, the list also included essential psychological horror anchors such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers, John Carpenter’s The Thing, Guillermo del Toro’s Cronos, and the unsettling 2006 film Slither, setting a high bar for cinematic grotesquerie.
Gunn also made sure to frame Clayface squarely in the horror genre, clarifying that it is a pure horror movie rather than a horror-superhero hybrid. The film dives headfirst into the grotesque, focusing on a dark, experimental narrative.
The story centers on Hollywood actor Matt Hagen, played by Tom Rhys Harries, who faces a catastrophic turn of events after engaging with a mobster’s girlfriend. When his face is brutally cut up, effectively ending his career, Hagen seeks out an experimental treatment from the trusted doctor, Caitlin Bates, played by Naomi Ackie. The results, inevitably, are far from what anyone hoped for.
The film is helmed by James Watkins (Eden Lake), with a screenplay penned by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini. The ensemble cast includes David Dencik, Max Minghella, and Eddie Marsan, promising a potent blend of body horror and compelling drama. Clayface is set to hit theaters on October 23.
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