DC Studios, under the guidance of former Marvel veteran James Gunn, has recently released a whole new trailer for Creature Commandos, an adult animated series set in the new DCU. The series will serve as a first release in the newly formed cinematic universe ahead of next year’s Superman movie (which is likely to feature Krypto the Superdog) and is scheduled to debut on Max on December 5, 2024. The trailer showcases all of the juicy action the series is set to bring to Warner Bros.’ streaming services.
At the same time, the new trailer also confirms the previously speculated appearances of some DC characters, including the iconic DC character and one of the most beloved Batman villains, Clayface. Admittedly, the Batman antagonist’s appearance in the trailer is a short one and “hidden” among the trailer’s numerous fighting and cussing sequences. It’s obvious that the trailer doesn’t shy from violence, and it opens up with Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller explaining Frank Grillo’s character and the purpose of his new team — which is basically a more unhinged version of the Suicide Squad.
Grillo is one part of the ensemble voice cast for Creature Commandos and is scheduled to reprise his role of Rick Flagg Sr. in live-action installments in Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. The series will also feature voices of David Harbour as Eric Frankenstein; Alan Tudyk as Doctor Phosphorous; Indira Varma as the Bride; the already mentioned Viola Davis as Amanda Waller; Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana Rostovic (a role that was specifically made with Bakalova in mind); Sean Gunn as Weasel and G.I. Robot, and Anya Charlotra as Circe.
Unfortunately, there are still no details associated with Clayface’s appearance in the upcoming narrative. His prominence, as well as the impact he might have on the upcoming story, still remains unknown, and the same applies to casting — no names have been disclosed. Actor Ron Perlman previously voiced the supervillain in the legendary Batman: The Animated Series (BTAS), and it would be nice if the Hellboy actor returned to his role as the shapeshifting villain.
The lack of details associated with the casting also raises certain questions regarding the character’s appearances in live-action installments of Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, as well as other adjacent releases, such as the sequel to Matt Reeves’ The Batman. Given the fact that Viola Davis has reprised her role as Amanda Waller in several different releases in the DCU and that Frank Grillo is set to reprise his role in both animation and live-action, we can assume that whoever’s portraying Clayface might do the same.
This points towards the possibility of Clayface appearing in the live-action Chapter One installments, including the upcoming Brave and the Bold (James Gunn and Peter Safran’s version of the DCU Batman) isn’t connected to Matt Reeves’ The Batman at all. So, it’s not outside the realm of possibilities for the character to be portrayed and voiced by the same actor across both live-action and animated installments in the new DCU, as is the case with Davis and Grillo.
However, we previously discussed the potential appearance of Clayface in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, and if those speculations are true, Warner Bros. will likely want a different actor cast for that particular live-action role to avoid connecting the two movies and their respective universes by the less knowledgeable members of the audience. Doing so isn’t necessarily a bad thing; The Batman does its own thing independently from Gunn’s new universe, and Clayface, like many comic book villains, has actually been a moniker used by many different characters.
The original version of Clayface, a clay mask-sporting B-list actor Basil Karlo, didn’t have any superpowers initially and was replaced by other characters sporting the same moniker. However, he made a comeback, as he gained superpowers through experimentation, yet again assuming the name and abilities of Clayface as we know him today. Since then, he has appeared in several different releases, including the aforementioned BTAS and subsequent video games. Check him out in the fantastic Arkham gaming series.
However, in recent years, the character has taken on more of an anti-hero persona, so he might not be a straight-up villain in both Creature Commandos and in the upcoming The Batman — though the latter is still being speculated. Considering WB’s position on Reeves’ universe, Clayface’s potential appearance could end up granting him his own spin-off. But, when it comes to Creature Commandos, it’s entirely likely that his appearance will be the one where he turns down the spot on the ragtag team since he’s still technically a human.
Sadly, we still know very little about Clayface’s appearance in upcoming animated series (apart from the fact that his appearance has been confirmed) and even less about the character’s future in the overall Gods and Monsters. It would seem that we’ll have to wait and see how things morph and mold from here.
Creature Commandos will hit Max on December 5, 2024