# Clayface reviews are in: critics split on DC's gory body-horror film, out in US and UK cinemas on 23 October

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/entertainment/clayface-reviews-are-in-critics-split-on-dcs-gory-body-horror-film-out-in-us-and)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 22 Oct 2026
Updated: 22 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 25 Oct 2026

> Variety and The Hollywood Reporter call it a surprise; The Guardian and IndieWire are unimpressed. Here is what the reviews say, who is in it and when it opens.

**Clayface**, the third film in James Gunn's new **DC Universe** after *Superman* and *Supergirl*, opens in **US and UK cinemas on Friday, 23 October**, and in Australia on 22 October. The first reviews, published on Wednesday, are sharply divided, which is why "clayface movie" was among the top searches in Pakistan on Thursday.

## The verdicts

**For it**

- "In nearly every department, Clayface exceeds expectations," wrote Guy Lodge in **Variety**, calling it more interesting than recent DC films because it does not feel tied to the superhero machine.
- "Clayface emerges as one of the year's big surprises," said Frank Scheck in **The Hollywood Reporter**.

**Against it**

- **The Guardian** called it "very gory but not very good", saying it looks more like a network TV series than a film and that the hero's powers are so loosely defined that he becomes "a screenwriting device".
- **IndieWire**'s Kate Erbland found it different but said it "confounds much more than it compels".
- **ComicBook.com** summed up the middle view: it "could have been worse", but could have been better too.

Rotten Tomatoes, which collected the first reactions, describes the consensus as a "messy but distinctive" horror story with a strong lead performance.

## What it is about

Welsh actor **Tom Rhys Harries** plays **Matt**, a working-class Gotham boy turned rising film star who, after his first Oscar nomination, crosses a gangster on a trip home and has his face slashed. Desperate to get his career back, he turns to an experimental skin treatment from a doctor played by **Naomi Ackie**, and his body starts to change shape with his emotions. **David Dencik**, **Max Minghella** and **Eddie Marsan** also star.

It is directed by **James Watkins** (*Eden Lake*, *My Little Eye*) and was made for **around $40 million** (about Rs 11 billion), cheap by superhero standards. Liverpool stands in for Gotham. An earlier script by horror director Mike Flanagan was rewritten, The Guardian notes. The film is R-rated in the US for its gore.

## Will it release in Pakistan?

A Pakistan release date has not been announced. Dates and any censor-board cuts are confirmed only when local cinemas open bookings, so check your cinema's website this week. Parents should note the heavy body-horror content.

Planning a trip to the cinema? Our directory lists [restaurants in Lahore](/businesses/restaurants/lahore) for dinner after the show.

## Frequently asked questions

**When is Clayface released?**

Clayface opens in US and UK cinemas on 23 October 2026 and in Australia on 22 October. A Pakistan date had not been announced by 22 October.

## Sources

- Clayface review: flesh-stretching DC body horror is very gory but not very good (The Guardian): https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/oct/21/clayface-movie-review-body-horror
- Clayface First Reviews: Tom Rhys Harries Shines in a Messy but Distinctive DC Horror Story (Rotten Tomatoes): https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/clayface-first-reviews/

How to cite: "Clayface reviews are in: critics split on DC's gory body-horror film, out in US and UK cinemas on 23 October", Searchable, 22 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/entertainment/clayface-reviews-are-in-critics-split-on-dcs-gory-body-horror-film-out-in-us-and