Brief
Clayface debuts in UAE cinemas ahead of US release
The film arrives on Oct 22, a day before its US release, and is positioned as a horror‑style DC entry.
By Felo News Desk · Published
UAE audiences will see the DC film Clayface in cinemas on Thursday, 22 October, a day before its United States release, Gulf News reported on 19 October 2026.
What happened
The movie opens across the United Arab Emirates on 22 October, timed to coincide with the Halloween season. The plot follows Matt Hagen, a rising Hollywood actor whose career and appearance are ruined after a scientific experiment goes wrong. The trailer shows hospital scenes, bandages and a body that gradually loses its shape, set to an eerie cover of The Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realize??”.
What the reports add
Gulf News notes that director James Watkins, known for Speak No Evil, helms the project, while the screenplay is co‑written by Mike Flanagan, creator of The Haunting of Hill House. Tom Rhys Harries stars as Hagen, joined by Naomi Ackie, David Dencik and Eddie Marsan. The article also outlines the comic‑book history of the Clayface mantle, tracing its origins from Basil Karlo in 1940 through later incarnations such as Preston Payne and Sondra Fuller.
What was said
The outlet does not quote any individuals directly; all information is presented as description.
How it came about
Clayface adapts the 1961 version of the character, a treasure hunter turned shape‑shifting clay monster after exposure to a radioactive substance. The film draws on the 1992 Batman: The Animated Series episode “Feat of Clay”, which portrayed Hagen as a disfigured actor addicted to an experimental cream. Gulf News links the release to the broader UAE cinema schedule, which earlier this month highlighted titles such as Heart of the Beast and the horror film Crawlers in its September entertainment guide.
Key facts
- Clayface opens in UAE cinemas on 22 October 2026. (gulfnews.com)
- The UAE release is one day before the US release. (gulfnews.com)
- James Watkins directs; Mike Flanagan co‑writes the screenplay. (gulfnews.com)
- Tom Rhys Harries plays Matt Hagen, the film’s central character. (gulfnews.com)
- The film is positioned as a horror‑style DC movie with a Halloween‑season release. (gulfnews.com)
Sources
- [1] gulfnews.com — originally reported as “Clayface oozes into UAE this week: Who really is Batman’s most tragic foe?”
