Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's Naomi Ackie in Early Talks To Star in DCU Body Horror Movie Clayface

Clayface is beginning to form. Actress Naomi Ackie, known for her roles in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Mickey 17, is in early discussions to join the upcoming DCU film directed by James Watkins, the filmmaker behind Speak No Evil.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ackie recently attended a reading session for the role and emerged as the top choice. If the deal moves forward — with negotiations expected to begin shortly — she will star opposite Tom Rhys Harries, a Welsh actor celebrated for his work in British television, who has already been cast as the titular character.

The screenplay was written by Mike Flanagan, a celebrated figure in the horror genre, renowned for his adaptations of classics like The Haunting of Hill House and his original stories across film and television.

The film centers on a rising actor who suffers a grotesque facial injury after a violent encounter with gang members. To reclaim his former life, he seeks out a dubious scientist — described by The Hollywood Reporter as an “Elizabeth Holmes-style” analyst, a comparison that’s both amusing and compelling — who performs a treatment that initially appears successful. But as expected in a body horror story, things quickly spiral. Ackie’s specific role remains undisclosed, though she may be portraying the scientist, a casting choice that would make perfect sense.

The project is said to evoke the tone of David Cronenberg’s iconic 1986 body horror film The Fly, starring Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis. Matt Reeves, director of The Batman, is producing alongside Lynn Harris and DC Studios leaders James Gunn and Peter Safran.

The film is scheduled to hit theaters on September 11, 2026 — and fans are already eager to see who else joins the cast.