DC Studios bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran "really wanted" Mike Flanagan to direct Clayface.

The studio's creative duo loved the horror icon's pitch for a standalone movie and while the pair were keen on him to helm the project, in the end they were grateful for his blessing.

Safran, who worked with him as a producer on The Conjuring franchise, told Entertainment Weekly: "We really wanted him to direct it -- I mean, really, really wanted him to direct it.

"But Flanagan is so booked up. He had so many things on his plate. So he said, 'Listen, I can't direct it, but you have my blessing. Go with God.'"

Flanagan is keeping busy away from Clayface, with upcoming projects including Amazon's Carrie TV series reboot, a new Exorcist movie starring Scarlett Johansson, and a big screen adaptation of Stephen King's The Mist.

The studio bosses went with James Watkins, who impressed with his work at the helm of 2024's Speak No Evil remake, as well as 2012's Woman In Black, and his 2008 debut Eden Lake.

When it comes to his own outlook, the filmmaker explained: "I'm interested in films that give people a real rollercoaster ride.

"You want to take people on a journey, but I don't want that journey just to be clockwork. I want it to have a heart. I thought that's what this had."

Clayface was first introduced in Detective Comics #40 back in June 1940, with the initial origin story focused on a moderately successful actor, Matt Hagen, who turned to crime and took on the identity of a character he played in a horror film.

He has appeared in plenty of films, series, animated works and more over the years, with Brian McManamon and Lorraine Burrough taking on the role in Gotham and Pennyworth, respectively.

In the 1970s, the character was developed as a scientist suffering with hormone irregularities.

Watkins noted that Flanagan's original script and concept shifted dramatically once collaborator Hossein Amini got involved.

He explained: "[In the earlier draft] there were mythic things within the shape-shifting world of him. Questions of our humanity -- how we lose our humanity and what it means to be a monster."

Gunn previously revealed he wasn't considering a Clayface movie before Flanagan's original pitch.

He told io9: "I didn't plan on making a Clayface movie. Mike came in. He pitched this wonderful idea. I was like, 'Damn, I can't believe you got me to want to make a Clayface movie.'

"But he's got to write the script and who knows how that's going to work. He goes and he writes the script. First draft is great. Second draft is even better.

"And then I'm like, 'Let's do it.' So we found a place for it because if there's quality stuff, we can find a way to work it in."