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Clayface is on track to win the box office this weekend. The DC horror film earned $10.4 million on Friday, including previews, and is tracking toward a $24 million to $25 million opening, according to Deadline. That is a strong Clayface box office start for a movie that cost about $40 million to $44 million. Here are the numbers, the reviews and what it means for DC.
Key Takeaways
- Clayface made $10.4 million on Friday from 3,458 North American theaters, taking No. 1.
- Industry projections point to a $24 million to $25 million opening weekend.
- Audiences gave it an A- CinemaScore, the same grade as James Gunn’s Superman.
- It holds a 76% critics score and a 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, TheWrap reported.
- A24’s documentary You Can See Everything is No. 2, with a projected $19 million to $20 million second weekend.
Clayface Box Office: Opening Weekend Numbers
According to Variety, Clayface earned $10.4 million on Friday from 3,458 theaters. Variety projected about $24 million by Sunday. Deadline called the Friday number “better than expected” and pointed to a $24 million to $25 million opening.
The budget is modest by superhero standards. Variety said the film cost $44 million to produce, while TheWrap cited a reported $40 million budget. Either way, the movie could earn back a big share of its cost in its first weekend at home.
Keep in mind that these are early estimates. Studios report Sunday estimates, and final numbers usually come on Monday.
Premium Screens Drove Sales
Clayface did not get IMAX screens, because Street Fighter had booked them for two weeks. Even so, premium large-format screens delivered close to half of the weekend’s gross, Deadline said.
Who Is Watching Clayface?
Young adults showed up in force. Moviegoers aged 18 to 34 made up 73% of the audience, according to Deadline. Hispanic and Latino moviegoers made up 35%. The South and South Central regions also overperformed.
A Rare A- for a DC Movie
The A- CinemaScore is a big deal. Deadline noted that Supergirl got a B- and The Flash got a B. Horror and genre films typically land in the B or C range, it added.
What Is Clayface About?
Directed by James Watkins, Clayface follows Matt Hagen, a rising movie star played by Tom Rhys Harries. After a severe injury disfigures his face, he volunteers for a highly experimental medical procedure, Variety said. Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella and Eddie Marsan co-star.
Variety called it a “gory, nightmare-inducing origin story” of the Batman villain. Its critic, Guy Lodge, called the film “fresh and ickily enjoyable.”
How Clayface Compares With Other DC Films
Clayface is smaller and stranger than DC’s recent superhero films. Variety offered this comparison:
- Superman (2025): produced for nearly $230 million, it earned $618.72 million worldwide.
- Supergirl (2026): considered a bomb, with $126 million against a $170 million budget.
- Clayface (2026): cost $44 million to produce.
TheWrap expects Clayface to be a domestic-leaning performer, like Superman. In other words, it may earn less overseas. Still, the strong U.S. start is good news for the combined Paramount-Warner Bros., which scored back-to-back No. 1 wins, Deadline said.
The Rest of the Weekend Box Office
Here is how the top five looked on Saturday morning, based on Deadline and Variety projections:
- Clayface: $24 million to $25 million (opening)
- You Can See Everything: $19 million to $20 million (second weekend), about $45 million total
- Wildwood: about $11 million (opening)
- Street Fighter: about $8.15 million to $8.4 million (second weekend)
- Wicker: about $5.5 million (opening)
You Can See Everything, the A24 documentary about Elizabeth Holmes from Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, keeps growing. It expanded to 2,655 theaters, up from 855.
Laika’s stop-motion film Wildwood earned an A CinemaScore, Deadline said. However, it carries a $100 million price tag, according to Variety. Meanwhile, Street Fighter dropped about 74% in its second weekend.
Overall, Deadline expects about $97.6 million for all movies this weekend. That is up 29% from the same weekend a year ago.
What the Clayface Box Office Means for You
If you want to see Clayface in theaters, this week is a good time. Halloween falls on a Saturday next weekend, and Deadline expects that frame to be weak at the box office. In other words, theaters may be quieter then if you prefer a calmer show.
Also, Clayface is R-rated, Deadline noted, and Variety describes it as gory. So think twice before taking younger kids. Prefer to stay in? Browse our list of Netflix movies for 2026. For more entertainment news, see our story on Taylor Swift at the Academy Museum Gala.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Clayface make opening weekend?
Projections point to $24 million to $25 million in North America, after a $10.4 million Friday. Final numbers come Monday.
What is Clayface’s budget?
Variety said it cost $44 million to produce. TheWrap cited a reported $40 million budget.
Is Clayface good?
Audiences gave it an A- CinemaScore. It has a 76% critics score and a 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, TheWrap reported.
Who plays Clayface?
Tom Rhys Harries plays Matt Hagen, the actor who becomes Clayface.
Who directed Clayface?
James Watkins directed the film.
Sources
- Clayface opening weekend box office (Deadline)
- Box office: Clayface, You Can See Everything, Wildwood, Wicker (Variety)
- Clayface Saturday box office (TheWrap)
