James Watkins explains Batman’s absence from Clayface

James Watkins said he left Batman out of Clayface to keep the DCU film focused on Matt Hagen, whose origin story ends with his transformation into the villain. The film opened in theaters on October 23, 2026, without a Batman appearance or an end-credits scene. Watkins said including the Gotham City crimefighter would have felt inappropriate because he wanted to tell Hagen’s story on its own terms. The director said he did not want to add a cameo simply to connect the film to the wider franchise. Although Batman does not appear, the film includes references and Easter eggs, according to Watkins. DC Studios co-chief Peter Safran said Batman is active in Gotham during the events of Clayface. Safran also said the studio had not settled on what Batman was doing while Hagen’s origin story unfolded. The DCU’s live-action Batman has not yet been cast, and the upcoming film The Brave and the Bold has no release date, according to the reports. Watkins also chose not to include a post-credits scene. He said the film’s final image shows Hagen completing his transformation into Clayface, and he wanted audiences to leave with that tragic image rather than a tease for a future project. The...