James Gunn fires back at fan who criticized ‘Clayface’ film: ‘Who tf asked for...?’
James Gunn has responded to a fan who questioned why DC Studios is making a 'Clayface' movie. The DC Studios co-head addressed the criticism on Threads after a commenter asked, “who tf asked for a 'Clayface' movie.” Gunn responded by naming several acclaimed films that audiences did not specifically demand before they were made.
“Who tf asked for 'Back to the Future'? 'Casablanca'? 'There’s Something About Mary'? 'Pan’s Labyrinth'? 'Fury Road'? 'Weapons'? 'The Matrix'?” Gunn wrote. Further adding, “Although it may seem like it, Hollywood isn’t a place where the only way to make a movie is the public voting on what IP they want to see that they’ve seen countless times before.”
Gunn followed up by defending the filmmakers behind 'Clayface'. He said the project appealed to him because the creative team was genuinely interested in the character. “Sometimes someone, in this case initially Mike Flanagan and then James Watkins and Hossein Amini, were inspired by a relatively little-known fictional character and crafted what I believe is a very special story around that character,” Gunn continued. He added that he would rather see filmmakers bring genuine passion to a lesser-known character than produce a screenplay about a popular character without a strong creative connection to the material.
The film stars Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen, a Gotham street kid who becomes a successful Hollywood actor before his life takes a devastating turn. After a crime boss leaves Hagen horribly disfigured, he is abandoned by his team and left searching for a way to restore his appearance. He eventually turns to a treatment that promises to bring back his former look. The treatment comes with a serious consequence. It begins to affect Hagen's grip on reality and sends him toward revenge. The story gives Matt Hagen a new take on the character while retaining one of Clayface's defining traits: his ability to change his physical form.
Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella and Eddie Marsan also star in the film. James Watkins directs the movie, with Hossein Amini contributing to the screenplay. The project initially came from Mike Flanagan, who had previously expressed interest in developing a 'Clayface' movie. Gunn's comments indicate that Flanagan's idea helped inspire the project before Watkins and Amini developed the screenplay. The film takes a horror-driven approach to the character. Its trailer has shown a more graphic and unsettling version of 'Clayface' than many previous DC adaptations. 'Clayface' has appeared across several DC projects since his comic-book debut in 1940, but this film gives Matt Hagen his first solo feature.
'Clayface' will arrive in theaters on October 23. The film expands DC Studios' lineup with a horror-focused story built around one of the company's lesser-known characters.
