While the film was only just recently confirmed to be moving ahead, James Gunn addresses the rumors of Daniel Radcliffe having been cast in theDC Universe. Gunn’s rebooted version of the franchise has gotten underway with the recently airedCreature Commandosseason 1, and will be continuing withSupermanin July andPeacemakerseason 2 in August. A number of other projects are in various states of development, includingClayface, written by Mike Flanagan and recently having entered talks with James Watkins to direct, with rumors already swirling about who will play the titular character.
Shortly after the studio head offered a number of updates for the franchise’s future, one fan took to Threads to askJames Gunnabout the rumors of Radcliffe being cast for the Mike Flanagan-pennedClayfacemovie. Gunn responded with a very definitive response to the question,confirming casting has not even begun on the film, and they have not approached theHarry Potteralum, though did call the star “great”. Check out Gunn’s post below:
What This Clarification On Daniel Radcliffe’s Casting Means For The DCU
Clayface Is Still In The Very Early Stages
The rumors of Radcliffe being cast in theClayfacemovie wouldn’t be the first time the star’s name has been attached to some kind of superhero property. Prior to Hugh Jackman reprising his iconic role for the 2024 hit,Radcliffe was rumored to play a Wolverine variantinDeadpool & Wolverine, which ultimately proved to be untrue as Jackman played all but one version, save for Henry Cavill’s “Cavillrine”. Radcliffe had even downplayed his interest in playing Wolverine prior to that, as he’s shared his concern about attaching himself to a major franchise if he doesn’t find himself emotionally invested.
Much to Gunn’s credit,theClayfacemoviedoes still sound like it has a ways to go before it is greenlit and a casting decision is made for the titularBatmanvillain. Despite reports indicating he was officially hired,Gunn has frequently clarified that Watkins is still in talks for the director’s chair of the film. Additionally, while it remains unclear if Gunn and the studio have plans for the character beyond the solo film, it would still make more sense for the director to have as much of a say in the casting as Gunn.
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Even if Gunn and Watkins don’t circle back around to the star forClayface,that doesn’t entirely rule out Radcliffe’s possible chances to star in the DCU. The studio is still in the early stages of building their revitalized superhero universe, and there are a wide variety of other projects he could still end up being considered for, whether in a leading role, or a supporting one that sets him up for future appearances. Plus, with everything from directly canon projects toElseworlds titles, he could be considered for an alternate version of Clayface if not the one in Watkins' movie.
Could Radcliffe Still Be Considered Once The Casting Process Begins?
An Early Debunking Could Be A Problem
Since the movie itself is still in the early stages of development, Radcliffe’s chances of starring inClayfacecertainly aren’t entirely out of the realm of possibility, and while Gunn hasn’t entirely ruled him out, I do think his already being debunked for theDC Universemovie may put Gunn and Watkins off from considering him. Keeping audiences guessing is the bread and butter of Flanagan, Gunn and Watkins' prior projects, and though they may still end up considering Radcliffe for the part, they may want to save the star for another project in the franchise to look for someone unexpected.
