Who Chris Atkinson & George Watkins Are: Clayface's Post-Credits Dedications Explained

Published Oct 22, 2026, 3:55 PM EDT Cooper Hood is the Associate Editor for all new movie releases, in theaters and on streaming. In addition to writing articles about these titles and upcoming releases, he also oversees content planning for each, ensuring that ScreenRant continues to cover major releases for months after their release. He has written various reviews for ScreenRant that appear on Rotten Tomatoes, coordinated Oscars and San Diego Comic-Con coverage, appeared on CNN to talk about Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, and done select interviews with talent over the years. Clayface has a special post-credits dedication rather than a traditional sequel-teasing or franchise-building after-credits scene. The DC Universe's third movie hit theaters on October 23, 2026, as the franchise's first story set in Gotham. Rather than focus on Bruce Wayne's adventures as Batman, Clayface takes an R-rated horror approach to the city to focus on a villain origin story. Directed by James Watkins, Clayface follows Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries) as he uses an experimental procedure to repair his movie-star looks. However, the transformation brings more results than he bargained for, giving him shape-shifting powers as his body is turned into clay. What transpires from there is Hagen's full evolution into the Batman villain known as Clayface. As part of the still-young DCU James Gunn and Peter Safran are creating at DC Studios, the question for most as they watch Clayface is how it connects to the larger world, and what it means for the future. Clayface has already been seen in the DCU with Creature Commandos season 1, but the movie is set before then and any interactions with Batman. While most superhero movies use post-credits scenes to set up the next chapter in these comic book-rooted stories, Clayface doesn't have a post-credits scene. It instead features two touching dedications to Chris Atkinson and George Watkins. There is a good reason for the dedications taking the place of an expected post-credits tag. Why Clayface Is Dedicated To Chris Atkinson & George Watkins Credit: MovieStillsDB Clayface's credits end with a dedication to both Chris Atkinson and George Watkins, two men connected to the movie's production who passed away during the making of the film. Chris Atkinson was a sound recordist with over 40 years of experience making movies who died in September 2025. He was a BAFTA nominee for Shameless and worked on films like Paddington 2 and Clayface director James Watkins' last film, Speak No Evil, as a production sound mixer. Chris does not have any credited work on Clayface, but he is believed to have been involved in the production early on. Filming began in August 2025 and concluded in early November. He passed away in the middle of filming. His son, Matt Atkinson, is the movie's production sound mixer, which is the first time he's had that credit. George Watkins was the father of Clayface's director. He also passed away during production. At the movie's world premiere, James Watkins thanked Gunn and Safran for supporting him during the loss. He said, "The kindness you both showed to me when my father died in the midst of this will remain with me forever." (via NewsFlip) Why Clayface Doesn't Have A Post-Credits Scene © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection As important as these dedications are, they are not the reason that there are no Clayface post-credits scenes. It could have been very easy to do both if DC Studios wanted to. However, Gunn has been clear from the beginning that the DCU won't use post-credits scenes just for the sake of having one, describing them as "a real nightmare" at times (via Gizmodo). He wants to only include them on DCU projects where they know they will deliver on whatever is teased. Superman included a more humorous post-credits scene rather than teasing, say, Brainiac's arrival for Man of Tomorrow. DC then chose not to include a post-credits scene with Supergirl. Lanterns even came and went without any credits scenes. Clayface continues the DCU's streak of being free of these tags and making promises that the franchise may not keep. For Clayface, a post-credits scene was not necessary. The movie is meant to be standalone in its story, which can be seen in how it handles Gotham City and steers clear of tying in too heavily to anything connected to Batman or the wider DCU. Keeping a post-credits scene out allows the movie to feel first and foremost like a singular story rather than part of a larger universe. It also helps that Clayface's ending works well enough as a tease of what could come. It's also worth noting how difficult it would be to pull off a Clayface post-credits scene that works. The DCU is still working on figuring out its Batman plans, so the movie couldn't tease much about him with absolute confidence. Meanwhile, a gag scene would not fit the movie's tone. It is better for Clayface and the DCU for the movie to avoid falling prey to any post-credits scene trappings. Will Clayface Get A Sequel Or Another DCU Appearance? The movie and post-credits decision leaves Matt Hagen's story open to continue in many different ways. This could include a Clayface sequel, while appearances in other upcoming DCU movies and shows could also happen, either in addition to or in place of another solo venture. The deciding factor for a Clayface sequel will be its box office. DC Studios smartly kept the cost down, with the movie reportedly costing $44 million. It is projected to make between $20 and $30 million domestically in its opening weekend, contributing to a projected global debut of $45-$55 million. That would put the movie well on its way to being financially successful, which, when paired with Clayface's positive reviews, could tempt DC to make a sequel. The difficulty with a Clayface sequel is finding the right story to tell that still centers on Matt Hagen. After experiencing his origin story, audiences will likely be more eager to see him encounter Batman than keep exploring Gotham or other parts of the world free from fighting his biggest foe. It is easier to imagine Clayface appearing elsewhere, as a result. A role in The Brave and the Bold could come to fruition depending on how the movie's development evolves. For all we know, Clayface could even have a part to play in the Bane and Deathstroke movie, Savage Hunters. Whatever the future holds for Clayface in the DCU, it must include Batman at some point. That's why The Brave and the Bold makes a lot of sense for Hagen's return. But if Clayface proves to be a gigantic success and audiences want more, one potentially interesting path forward would be to get a sequel that shows what it's like for villains when Batman is pursuing them, making The Dark Knight the antagonist. Release Date October 23, 2026 Runtime 108 Minutes Director James Watkins Cast Tom Rhys Harries Matt Hagen / Clayface Naomi Ackie Dr. Caitlin Bates