James Gunn Defends Clayface and Says Hollywood Isn't a Public Vote

James Gunn has an answer for anyone still asking "Why Clayface?" According to Bleeding Cool, he took to Threads over the weekend to respond to the repeated question about the DC movie Clayface.

Film★ 8.4 TMDB

Clayface

2026 · 1 h 49 min · Horror · Science Fiction · Thriller

Released

21 October 2026

Runtime

1 h 49 min

Directed by

James Watkins

Starring

Tom Rhys Harries, Naomi Ackie, Eddie Marsan

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His reply boils down to this: studios don't pick movies by polling the public on which familiar characters they want, and a lesser-known character can still inspire something special.

What Gunn Said About Hollywood and the Public Vote

Gunn's central point is about how movies get made. In the quote Bleeding Cool carries, he wrote: "Hollywood isn't a place where the only way to make a movie is the public voting on what IP they want to see."

He also described what he would rather avoid. Bleeding Cool reports that Gunn would prefer a creator inspired by a character over a writer turning in a listless screenplay about a hugely popular figure they feel nothing for. In his view, passion for the material comes first and name recognition second.

Important Note: Bleeding Cool does not show the original Threads post and says only that Gunn wrote it "this weekend." The exact timing and full wording of his post are not confirmed in the report, so this article relies on the outlet's account and the single quote it provides.

The Filmmakers Gunn Says the Character Inspired

Gunn didn't stop at the general argument. He named the people he says were inspired by the little-known character and crafted the story: Mike Flanagan first, and then James Watkins and Hossein Amini.

That list is the closest thing to a direct answer to "Why Clayface?" Gunn's case is that the idea came from filmmakers who cared about the character, not from a checklist of popular properties.

The report does not explain how or when Flanagan, Watkins and Amini were each involved in the project. Gunn's post, as described, only ties them together as creators drawn to the character.

Clayface as DC Studios' First Horror Film

Bleeding Cool describes the film as DC Studios' first foray into horror. It is a horror thriller directed by Watkins, with Tom Rhys Harries in the title role.

The outlet adds that DC has said it is leaning into the story's horror element, and that the marketing appears to reflect a darker tone. That helps explain why the project looks different from a standard superhero release.

Bleeding Cool lists the film as arriving in theaters this October. Wikipedia lists a Warner Bros. U.S. release date of October 23, 2026, as part of the DCU's Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.

Why the Pushback Echoes Guardians of the Galaxy

The Bleeding Cool writer draws a comparison close to home. The outlet notes that a similar conversation followed the announcement of Guardians of the Galaxy, and argues that Gunn should know such pushback is likely when a lesser-known character gets the green light. That comparison is the author's view, not Gunn's.

It is a fair frame for the debate. Audiences have questioned unfamiliar picks before, and Gunn is now making the same case for a villain from the margins of DC's catalog.

The film opens this month, so viewers will soon be able to judge the argument for themselves. Readers following DC's wider slate can also catch our report on the Lanterns finale.