Clayface is a 2026 DC horror thriller about Matt Hagen, a rising actor whose life falls apart after a terrible event turns him into a monster. James Watkins directed it, from a script by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini.
Tom Rhys Harries plays Hagen, with Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan and Ruby Sear in the cast. The story is set in Gotham, but the crew shot it in England, mainly in Liverpool. For more titles like this, check our sci-fi and thriller sections, and our England category.
Matt Hagen is a rising Hollywood star who loses his career and his identity after a frightening event. As he loses his humanity, he becomes a monster driven by pain and revenge. Plot details are still limited, so we will not guess the rest.
Clayface is set for release in the U.S. on October 23, 2026. It was first planned for September 11, 2026, then moved to October, as listed on Wikipedia.
The film is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and made by DC Studios. It is a theatrical release, so there is no streaming date yet. You can find more big-screen titles in our movies category.
Table of Contents
When and Where Was Clayface Filmed?
| Film Name | Clayface |
|---|---|
| Genres | Horror, Thriller, Sci-Fi |
| Filming Locations | Liverpool, Wirral, Stockport and Leavesden, England |
| Filming Dates | August 31, 2025 to November 1, 2025 |
| Cinematography by | Rob Hardy |
| Release Date | October 23, 2026 (U.S.) |
Filming started on August 31, 2025, and wrapped on November 1, 2025, according to Wikipedia. Screen Global Production said by September 9 that Liverpool had been turned into Gotham City, with more work at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden. The crew reportedly used the working title Corinthians. Warner Bros. has not shared an official schedule, so please treat the dates as reports.
📍Liverpool City Centre
Liverpool is the main Gotham stand-in. Prolific North, quoting the Liverpool Echo, said the Cunard Building and Water Street were dressed with fake graffiti and rain towers. The Law Courts on Derby Square were made to look like a Gotham hospital. Liverpool Central Library reportedly stood in for a Gotham court. North John Street became Gotham’s docks, according to Wikipedia.
Explore Liverpool adds a few more. A street behind London Road, near the old TJ Hughes store, was dressed as a run-down Gotham street. Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on Hope Street became a nightclub for a night shoot. The Echo also said the World Museum was reportedly used as a courthouse, but reports are unclear on which building was used for what. Tom Rhys Harries and Max Minghella were seen filming in some of these spots.
Visiting: The streets and the library are public, so you can walk around freely.
📍Wirral, Merseyside
The shoot also crossed the river to the Wirral. King’s Parade in New Brighton was turned into a Gotham seafront with a Ferris wheel and a yellow taxi, according to Riding the Magic, and the closure ran overnight on September 11, 2025. A local chicken shop was renamed “Len’s Chicken” for the cameras. Wikipedia also lists Seacombe Ferry Terminal in Wallasey, the old Birkenhead Tunnel, and a house on Tollemache Street dressed as an American home. We could not find street-level detail for those three, so please treat them as reported.
📍The Plaza, Stockport
The Plaza, a cinema and theatre on Mersey Square in Stockport, was set up for a fake film premiere, with a red carpet and props for a movie called The Light Between. Prolific North said Stockport Tourism announced the shoot for September 9, 2025. Some location lists also name Manchester, but we found no street or building, so it stays unconfirmed.
📍Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden
The crew did their studio work at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in Hertfordshire, as Screen Global Production reported. It is a working studio, so it is not open for visits. Some listings also mention London and Croatia (Krk, Bale and Opatija), but we found no report or photos for them, so we are not counting them as confirmed.
Clayface Behind the Scenes
To make your search for Clayface filming even more interesting, here is a fun one from the star. When filming ended, Tom Rhys Harries shared a mirror picture on his Instagram Story with the caption “CF PICTURE WRAP.” CinemaBlend reported it on November 1, 2025, and said fans noticed eerie messages and set dressing in the photo.
Here are the other behind-the-scenes shares we found, in the order they came out:
A fan shared a set video of Hagen dancing outside Gotham’s courthouse on September 3, 2025, as reported by Comic Basics.
Warner Bros. released two set photos on August 28, 2026: Harries with director James Watkins, and Harries alone as Hagen. Swagger Magazine published them.
We could not find a direct Instagram post link from the cast or crew, since Harries’ wrap was a Story. We will add more as they are shared.
Is There Any Trailer Available for Clayface?
Yes, the official trailer is available. DC released it around July 22, 2026, after a first teaser in April.
It is on DC’s YouTube channel. The film releases on October 23, 2026, in theaters through Warner Bros. Pictures.
FAQs
Q1: Where was Clayface filmed?
A1: In England, mainly in Liverpool, with more shooting on the Wirral, in Stockport and at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden.
Q2: Is Gotham a real place in Clayface?
A2: No. Liverpool streets and buildings were dressed up as Gotham City.
Q3: When was Clayface filmed?
A3: From August 31, 2025, to November 1, 2025, according to reports.
Q4: Which building was Gotham Hospital?
A4: The Law Courts on Derby Square were reportedly dressed as the hospital.
Q5: When can I watch Clayface?
A5: It reaches theaters on October 23, 2026.
Clayface turns Liverpool’s grand buildings and the New Brighton seafront into a dark Gotham. A few places, like Manchester and Croatia, are still unconfirmed, and we will update this guide as more come out. If you want more places to explore, take a look at our guides to new releases, and check back soon for more filming-location articles.
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