Naman Shrestha
Based on DC Comics’ eponymous character, ‘Clayface’ is a psychological horror thriller movie that makes it the third movie in the DC Universe (DCU). Tom Rhys Harries stars as a rising Hollywood star named Matt Hagen, whose charming appearance and promising career suffer a setback after he comes in the crosshairs of a local crime boss. As his face becomes disfigured, Matt desperately seeks the help of a scientist who uses cutting-edge technology to restore his former appearance.
However, the procedure comes with its own set of flaws. Over time, Matt begins to lose touch with reality and himself, prompting him to embark on a vengeful journey to destroy those responsible for his monstrous transformation. Besides Harries, the body horror film also features Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, Nancy Carroll, and Joshua James. Directed by James Watkins, the revenge-filled story of losing one’s identity and humanity unfolds in the eerie, crime-ridden streets of the fictional city of Gotham, reflecting Matt’s newfound dark identity.
Clayface Filming Locations
The filming of James Watkins’ rendition of ‘Clayface’ took place in England and Croatia, particularly in Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Hertfordshire, Opatija, Bale, and Krk. Principal photography for the thriller movie reportedly commenced in late August 2025 under the working title ‘Corinthians’ and went on for a couple of months before wrapping up in the first week of November of the same year.
Merseyside, England
A majority of ‘Clayface’ was shot across the ceremonial county of Merseyside, with the city of Liverpool serving as the primary production location. In the Liverpool city centre area, the filming unit set up camp at the former Merseyside Police Headquarters on Canning Place and filled its disused car park with Gotham-themed vehicles, such as an ambulance, police cars, and a Gotham Broadcasting Channel news van. The Crown Court building at Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts in Derby Square was transformed into the fictional Gotham Hospital, with a temporary Emergency sign placed at the entrance. The surrounding area and streets were also littered, while the walls were painted with fake graffiti.
While the Liverpool Central Library on William Brown Street doubled as the Gotham City Courthouse, the 4-star hotel Aloft by Marriott Liverpool at 1 North John Street stood in for another courthouse, with the City of Gotham and American flags unfurling on the building. In addition, the Philharmonic Hall on Hope Street was redressed as the fictional nightclub called Vesuvius. According to reports, the cast and crew members were spotted taping important scenes near Liverpool James Street railway station on Water Street and India Buildings, which doubled as Gotham City Hall.
Other prominent spots that served as production locations include North John Street, Walter Street, Pier Head, and the old Birkenhead Tunnel entrance on Rendel Street. For the purpose of shooting, the production team of ‘Clayface’ also took over the town of Wallasey in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, particularly the Seacombe Ferry Terminal. In September 2025, James Watkins and his cast and crew set up camp on the Marine Promenade in the seaside resort of New Brighton. A real-life residence on Tollemache Street also served as a key filming site, as it depicted an American home.
Greater Manchester, England
Several pivotal sequences for ‘Clayface’ were also shot in Greater Manchester, a ceremonial county located east of Merseyside. At its center is the city of Manchester, which features in the horror thriller movie. To be specific, the streets of the Castlefield area in Central Manchester were reportedly transformed into film sets. Furthermore, the town of Stockport, located a few miles southeast of Manchester, hosted the production of the James Watkins directorial.
Hertfordshire, England
In the ceremonial county of Hertfordshire, the filming unit of ‘Clayface’ set up camp at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden on Warner Drive for soundstage work and to tape scenes in a controlled environment. Spread across 200 acres, the film studio is home to 30 sound stages of varying sizes, over 55 acres of backlot space, 50 workshop spaces, production offices, and other amenities, making it a favorable shooting destination for all kinds of projects. In an interview with Movies.ie, filmmaker James Watkins was asked about the challenges Tom Rhys Harries had with the prosthetics.
He revealed, “…(There) were a lot of practical effects through many stages of the iterations along the journey. He had a lot of time in the makeup chair, and a lot of the time sat around on set with very uncomfortable makeup on. There were times when he had things in his mouth, things in his nose, and things in his eyes, and there were times when you had to take the contacts out because he had these contacts you could only have them in for so long before they started to mess with his eyes.”
Opatija, Croatia
Situated in Croatia’s Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the town of Opatija served as a key production location for ‘Clayface.’ Its bustling streets and open waters helped provide the contrasting settings necessary to add visual depth to the narrative. You might spot a few local landmarks and places of interest in the backdrop, such as the Maiden with a seagull statue, Hotel Bristol, Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Opera House.
Other Locations in Croatia
Additional portions for the psychological thriller film were also lensed in a couple of other places in Croatia, including the island of Krk, located in the northern Adriatic Sea. The settlement and municipality of Bale also reportedly served as a shooting destination for the Tom Rhys Harries starrer.
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