James Gunn Obliterates Clayface Set Rumors, Including That Batman Insignia
The countdown is on: the film charges into theaters next year.
If you were connecting red yarn between every Clayface set photo hoping for a grand DCU master plan, pump the brakes. DC boss James Gunn just poured a big bucket of cold water on all that world-building chatter.
About those Gotham clues on the Clayface set
Fans have been buzzing over a couple of items that popped up online from the Clayface shoot: a detailed Gotham City map with deep-cut locations labeled (Wayne Manor, Ace Chemicals, the Iceberg Lounge), and a sticker showing the Robert Pattinson-era Batman insignia seemingly slapped on a trash can. It had people wondering if the new DCU was quietly stitching in The Batman or laying down heavy canon breadcrumbs.
Gunn, speaking to IGN, says do not read that much into it.
"You really have to take it as something that an art department put together."
He went further, saying some of what fans are circulating may not even be from the actual set. The bat logo in particular? He suspects that was added later, and says he has not personally vetted those background pieces. In other words, even if something looks official, it does not mean it is DCU canon.
The inside-baseball part: the DCU Bible
Here is the nerdy detail that matters: there is a person whose job is to guard the DCU Bible and keep the whole universe consistent — cities, maps, even which celebrities exist in this world. Gunn says he does not think that gatekeeper signed off on the art department extras fans are dissecting from Clayface, which is his polite way of saying those Gotham maps are not something to pin big theories on right now.
Gunn already flagged the bat sticker weeks ago
This is not the first time he has tried to tamp this down. A few weeks back, he addressed that trash can logo directly:
"Although the trash can is from the set I have a hard time believing the bat was put there by the art department, but if so it never came across my desk (I don't have time to ok every piece of set dressing.)"
He also noted he has not seen everything fans have posted, reinforcing the idea that none of this background dressing should be treated as an official DCU roadmap.
So what is actually locked in for Clayface?
Here is what is real, not vibes: the movie is directed by James Watkins and stars Tom Rhys Harries alongside Naomi Ackie. It is one of the first films in DCU Chapter One and is scheduled to hit theaters on September 11, 2026 — landing a few months after Supergirl.
Everything else in those set pics? Fun to look at, sure. But per Gunn, do not treat it like gospel unless it comes through the DCU Bible pipeline.