7 R-Rated Thrillers Better Than Clayface

Clayface brings an R-rated thriller to James Gunn’s DCU, telling the origin story of one of Batman’s most notorious adversaries. Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries) undergoes an experimental treatment to restore his face after mobsters attack him. The treatment gives him shapeshifting abilities and a thirst for revenge.

The film follows Hagen’s transformation from a hopeful young actor into a violent monster. Its dark approach makes it one of DC’s strongest recent films, and it can work as a standalone revenge thriller for viewers unfamiliar with the comics. Clayface premiered with a 78% “Certified Fresh” critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, beating 1989’s Batman and 2019’s Joker.

The predictable script and on-the-nose dialogue keep Clayface from reaching its full potential. Whether you enjoyed it or hoped for more, these similar R-rated thrillers are worth a look.

1. The Fly (1986)

Where to watch: Rent on Prime Video, Apple TV, or Google Play.

Clayface director James Watkins named this classic as a major influence on his DC horror film, according to Letterboxd. Directed by David Cronenberg, The Fly follows scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum), who slowly becomes a human-fly hybrid after testing his teleportation device.

Like Clayface, The Fly follows a man who loses his humanity after an experiment goes wrong. Brundle’s transformation and decay provide plenty of gruesome body horror. Unlike Clayface, the film focuses on the deterioration of his mind and body rather than becoming a revenge thriller.

2. The Thing (1982)

Where to watch: Rent on Prime Video, Apple TV, or Google Play.

Although it failed in theaters, John Carpenter’s The Thing has since become a cult sci-fi classic. A parasitic, shapeshifting alien infiltrates an Antarctic research base, impersonating the people and animals it assimilates.

The Thing explores different themes from Clayface, but both draw fear from a creature that can look and sound like anyone. As the researchers suspect one another of being the alien, fear threatens to destroy the group. The film also delivers graphic gore and body horror, with the alien taking several grotesque forms.

3. The Substance (2024)

Where to watch: Stream on Disney+ or Hulu, or rent on Prime Video or Apple TV.

Written and directed by Coralie Fargeat, the Oscar-winning sci-fi thriller The Substance follows an actress (Demi Moore) who takes a black-market drug to create a younger clone of herself. After her 50th birthday, she is desperate to regain her beauty.

Both The Substance and Clayface examine the entertainment industry’s beauty standards. Fargeat’s film puts particular emphasis on the pressure women face to look “beautiful” for the male gaze. Its protagonist’s addiction and self-loathing destroy her life, making her story an even greater tragedy than Clayface.

4. Joker (2019)

Where to watch: Stream on HBO Max, or rent on Prime Video or Apple TV.

Years before Clayface, Joker offered a sympathetic origin story for the Clown Prince of Crime (Joaquin Phoenix). It follows an aspiring comedian who is repeatedly mistreated by society until he reaches his breaking point.

Compared with Clayface, the Joker film places more emphasis on how society fails people who lack the resources to live happy, healthy lives. It also offers a character study of a lonely, well-meaning man’s transformation into a cold-hearted killer.

5. The Invisible Man (2020)

Where to watch: Stream on Prime Video, or rent on Apple TV or Google Play.

Based on the classic Universal monster movie, 2020’s The Invisible Man follows a woman (Elisabeth Moss) who escapes her abusive boyfriend. She comes to fear that he is stalking and gaslighting her with a high-tech invisibility suit.

The sci-fi premise creates suspense while exploring trauma and abuse. Even when the villain is absent, the protagonist feels frightened, isolated, and unsure of her reality. The bystanders and authorities who allow her ordeal to continue also show how society can fail people who experience abuse.

6. An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Where to watch: Stream on Prime Video, or rent on Apple TV or Google Play.

Directed by John Landis, An American Werewolf in London follows a man (David Naughton) attacked by a werewolf while backpacking through the English countryside. He survives, but the next full moon turns him into a werewolf and puts people across London in danger.

The film’s tense buildup to its protagonist’s transformation shows its influence on Watkins and Clayface. It also balances scares with comedy, making its tragic story rewarding to revisit.

7. Obsession (2025)

Where to watch: Stream on Peacock or Netflix, starting November 17, or rent on Prime Video, Apple TV, or Google Play.

In Curry Barker’s Obsession, a lonely man (Michael Johnston) wishes for his crush (Inde Navarrette) to fall in love with him. The love-potion story becomes a frightening blend of Fatal Attraction and The Exorcist.

Like Clayface, Obsession tells a story about losing one’s identity. Forced to fulfill a man’s selfish wish, Navarrette’s character is consumed by an otherworldly force and a desire to be loved. Barker’s direction and Navarrette’s performance make the film a harrowing thriller.

 

Source: Polygon