Batman's Status During Clayface Explained By DC Studios Co-Head

Key Points:

• James Gunn's DC Universe began with "Superman" (2025) and "Supergirl" (2026), and the latest film is "Clayface," a horror movie centered on Batman's villain Clayface, though Batman himself does not appear.
• DC Studios Co-Chairman Peter Safran confirmed Batman exists in the DC Universe during "Clayface," but the character is not active or referenced in the film, leaving his activities during this time unclear.
• The absence of Batman in "Clayface" is partly due to the separate, non-canonical "The Batman" franchise starring Robert Pattinson, which will not be integrated into the DC Universe to preserve creative control.
• "Clayface" focuses on Matt Hagen's relationship with Dr. Caitlyn Corr and her fiancé, Detective John Borrelli, rather than on interactions with Batman, which some critics feel leaves a gap in the story given Gotham's vigilante presence.
• The film's lack of Batman involvement has drawn comparisons to other solo villain movies and has been seen as a disconnect from Gotham's setting, though Clayface is expected to return as a villain in the upcoming DCU Batman film "The Brave and the Bold."