Copyright /FILM
The DC Extended Universe is dead. We're now in the age of the DC Universe, a new start for the franchise but which also retains elements of its predecessor. Come to think of it, that doesn't actually sound like what Warner Bros. and DC need right now. But there's no doubt Gunn has done plenty right since taking over as DC Studios co-head, including pushing for more practical effects. For a man who has produced some of the most visual effects-heavy comic book movies of recent years, it's odd to hear him champion practical alternatives, but according to the director, a practical effect actually "looks better" than CGI. At least, that's how he feels about Mike Flanagan and James Watkins' upcoming DC Universe movie "Clayface" which will give the oft-overlooked Batman rogue the full horror treatment when it drops in late 2026. According to Gunn, the movie will use extensive practical effects to realize its body horror ambitions, which creates a problem in terms of keeping the movie's visual imagery under wraps before release. During an appearance on the Phase Hero podcast, Gunn told host Brandon Davis that he wasn't actually concerned about leaks. "We knew there would be some photos that would get out and we knew there was some makeup and stuff involved," he said. "And they're like, 'Oh, should we not put any of the makeup on and then just do it with visual effects and post?' And I'm like, 'What are you talking about? I mean, is it going to make $1 less at the box office [...] if some photos leak?'" According to Gunn, the "hundreds of thousands of dollars" it would cost to create the CGI effects for "Clayface" wouldn't be worth it, especially when it's "going to look better if it's practical." James Gunn's approach to building a cinematic DC universe isn't exactly what you might expect given the way comic book movies have been faring of late. Sure, the charming crowd-pleaser that was "Superman" made sense as the first theatrical release, but the rest of Gunn's offerings feel uniquely designed for more serious comic book fans rather than mass audiences. "Creature Commandos" and "Peacemaker" season 2 are not the foundations on which you might expect a pop culture behemoth to be built, and now we have "Supergirl" and "Clayface" to look forward to. Again, not exactly the kind of movies you'd expect from a brand trying desperately to convince audiences to return to the multiplex following a string of flops featuring lesser-known DC characters. Nevertheless, here we are. Gunn either knows something we don't or is headed in a direction that might prove fatal for his fledgling cinematic universe — especially in the wake of that divisive "Peacemaker" season 2 finale. The true test will be these upcoming movies, neither of which are directed by Gunn. Of particular interest, however, is "Clayface," which is said to be an R-rated body horror movie set in the same world that gave us David Corenswet's endearingly goofy Man of Steel. With horror experiencing somewhat of a renaissance of late, it will be doubly interesting to see if the DC Universe can pull off a decent attempt at a genre that's been faring well at the box office. While it still seems like a really odd choice for one of the first movies in the franchise, everything we've been hearing sounds genuinely cool, and Gunn championing practical effects only adds to that.
