Summary
Highlights
The video discusses the start of filming for the Batman Clayface movie, highlighting immediate sightings of Easter eggs and references to the Joker and other DC characters. It addresses questions about James Gunn's new Batman, including rumored actors and the decision to start the DCU's Batman narrative with Clayface instead of a character like Batman or traditional villains. The speaker notes connections to James Gunn's past critical comments about Jared Leto's Joker and explains how the Clayface movie aims to set up the new Batman and his rogues' gallery within the larger DCU.
Filming for the Clayface movie has already revealed what many believe to be the first hint of James Gunn's new DCU Joker. Graffiti near the Gotham City Hospital set, where Matt Hagen (Clayface) is being treated, clearly shows 'Joker' references. The speaker dismisses theories about 'Jokers' plural indicating Batman Beyond, clarifying that this movie is set closer to the Superman movie's timeline. James Gunn intentionally keeps exact timelines vague to avoid continuity issues, similar to Marvel's 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' problem. He prefers 'a couple months after' or 'several months after' for timeline references.
The Clayface movie is confirmed to be connected to the DCU, evidenced by a 'Jitters Coffee' Easter egg, the same logo seen in the Superman movie and Peacemaker Season 2. This suggests continuity for characters like Adebayo, potentially returning to Gotham City. Peacemaker Season 2 also reveals that Batman is very busy with his rogues gallery due to supervillains escaping Arkham Asylum and Belle Reve prison, several months after the Superman movie events. James Gunn's Batman is depicted as older than Robert Pattinson's but younger than Ben Affleck's, in his 30s or 40s. His Joker is also expected to be slightly older to match.
The Clayface movie is described as a villain origin story, akin to Joaquin Phoenix's 'Joker,' focusing on Matt Hagen's transformation. Eddie Marsan is cast as Hagen's manager, with speculation he might also become a villain. The film is a mid-budget project, costing less than big-budget DC movies like Superman or the upcoming Brave and the Bold. Batman is expected to be a background presence, not shown explicitly, until the 'Brave and the Bold' movie. Batman in this universe has been active for a long time, with multiple Robins already, including Damian Wayne.
Despite being separate from Robert Pattinson's Batman movies, the Clayface movie is filming in the same locations used for Matt Reeves' Batman films, meaning DCU's Gotham City will visually resemble Matt Reeves' Gotham. The video highlights major Easter eggs linking to the Superman movie, such as a 'Gotham City Examiner' newspaper mentioning a baseball game between Gotham Knights and Metropolis Meteors, referencing events in the Superman movie. The main article in the newspaper is about the arrest of Jimmy Red McCoy, a deep-cut Batman villain connected to Clayface's origin.
Further Easter eggs include the 'Moldoff Building,' a nod to Sheldon Moldoff, co-creator of Clayface and other Batman characters. The video mentions the numerous jokes about Jared Leto's Joker in Peacemaker Season 2, implying James Gunn's dislike for that portrayal. News trucks on set reveal 'Gotham News' website links pointing to Warner Bros., suggesting viral marketing for the movie, similar to Christopher Nolan's 'Dark Knight' and Matt Reeves' 'The Batman.' There are also significant Black Canary Easter eggs, hinting at her appearance in the movie or future DC projects, primarily through band posters like 'Alias Insane' and 'Ashes on Sunday.' The video concludes by suggesting that successful mid-budget villain films like Clayface could lead to more horror or R-rated DC movies, providing a contrast to large-scale PG-13 productions.