‘Clayface’ Switches Release Date With ‘Practical Magic 2’
Clayface won an unexpected green light from DC Studios, but that wasn’t the end of its uphill battle. Yet another speed bump was thrown in its path as its release has been delayed for nearly two months. And why? To make way for one more legacy sequel no one asked for.
Per Variety (via Cosmic Book News), Warner Bros. reshuffled their slate, causing Clayface to switch places with Practical Magic 2 and move from early September to late October. The latter now occupies Clayface’s old Sept. 11th slot, and the horror thriller is set to be out just in time for Halloween on Oct. 26th.
It’s a sound strategy, Cotton, and could pay off. On paper, the end of October is perfect timing with a built-in target audience. However, the James Watkins film has competition in the forms of an untitled Jordan Peele project and the dark comedy Wife and Dog starring Rosamund Pike and Benedict Cumberbatch.
Both have a chance of putting a dent in Clayface’s hopes of profitability by stealing away the disposable income of moviegoers, even though the DC film arguably has more X factors. It has the DC brand behind it, for what that’s worth, and moreover, it’s Batman-adjacent. The Dark Knight usually performs better than any other character, as do permutations of his foes (outside Joker: Folie à Deux).
Conversely, Warner Bros. might be showing their hand and hinting they’re losing faith in the stewardship of James Gunn, if not the viability of DC as a whole or the potential of Clayface. It’s no secret anymore that Superman underwhelmed nor that Peacemaker was not a needle mover.
But, if that is the case and they are worried, how does WB justify getting behind a sequel to a film about cursed man-killing witches that picks up where the sisterly coven left off? It sounds like the One Battle After Another syndrome all over again.
NEXT: New Leaked ‘Clayface’ Details Reveal Matt Hagen Is The Main Character
