'Clayface', DC Studios' horror-inflected Batman villain film, drew more than 20 million views across platforms within its opening days, Warner Bros. said on Friday. Welsh actor Tom Rhys Harries stars in the title role.

DC Studios released the trailer earlier in the week, marking one of the first standalone films from co-chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran's rebooted DC slate. The project leans into body-horror imagery rather than conventional superhero spectacle, a tonal shift the studio has promoted heavily in marketing materials.

The trailer's response coincided with renewed industry attention to horror-adjacent filmmaking, following Christopher Nolan's remarks this week that his epic 'The Odyssey' had rekindled his interest in the genre. Industry analysts framed 'Clayface' as a test of whether DC can diversify beyond costumed team-ups.

Warner Bros. is releasing the film against the backdrop of its contested merger integration, which a judge paused earlier this week. Studio executives have signalled that DC's theatrical pipeline remains a priority regardless of corporate reshuffling, with 'Clayface' positioned for an autumn rollout.

A DC Studios spokesperson said the early trailer numbers reflected "strong appetite for a bolder, scarier corner of the DC universe," adding that further footage would arrive closer to release.