Tom Rhys Harries Cast as Lead in DC’s Upcoming ‘Clayface’ Movie

by Annika June 18, 2025

Welsh actor Tom Rhys Harries has been cast as the lead in DC Studios’ upcoming Clayface movie. Relatively unknown in the US, Harries will play the shape-shifting Batman villain. The search for the actor focused on young, British talent, with other contenders including Jack O’Connell, Tom Blyth, Leo Woodall and George MacKay and is set to begin filming later this year.

Tom Rhys Harries Cast as Lead in DC’s Upcoming ‘Clayface’ Movie

– DC Studios has chosen Welsh actor Tom Rhys Harries to play the lead role in the upcoming Clayface movie, centered around a Batman villain.
– The project, directed by Speak No Evil’s James Watkins, is set to film later this year and has a budget of around $40 million.
– The Clayface movie is a significant opportunity for Harries, who has primarily worked on stage and screen in the UK and had roles in BBC fantasy drama Jekyll & Hyde and AppleTV+ series Suspicion.

DC Studios has discovered the leading actor for its upcoming Clayface film, selecting Welsh actor Tom Rhys Harries for the role. Harries, who is moderately known in the United States, will portray the shapeshifting antagonist from the Batman franchise.

The selection process, which was primarily focused on young British talents, involved several potential candidates including Jack O’Connell, known for his role as a villain in Sinners, Tom Blyth of Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Leo Woodall from The White Lotus and George MacKay, the lead actor of the renowned war film, 1917. However, DC bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran decided to explore even more options before finalizing Harries.

The director’s role has been entrusted to James Watkins, known for helming Speak No Evil. Clayface is anticipated to be a somewhat minimalist film, with an estimated budget around $40 million. Reports suggest the film will revolve around a B-list actor who transforms into a mutable piece of clay after self-injecting a substance, intending to remain relevant in the industry.

According to Gunn, Mike Flanagan is still involved with the script for Clayface. The movie is slated to be released on September 11, 2026, and production is set to commence later this year. Matt Reeves, the director of The Batman, will produce the film together with Lynn Harris, Gunn, and Safran.

The assignment is a significant boost for the 35-year-old Harries, who has been accumulating acting experience in the UK since his early twenties on both screen and stage. He debuted in the West End theatre production Mojo, sharing the stage with Ben Whishaw and Rupert Grint. His early on-screen role was in the BBC fantasy drama, Jekyll & Hyde.

In the past few years, Harries has been seen in the AppleTV+ series Suspicion and the Netflix series White Lines, both of which had brief runs. He additionally featured in the 2023 action thriller Kandahar starring Gerard Butler.