Clayface just dropped its first box office numbers, and they might not tell the story fans were expecting. The DC villain’s Thursday preview haul raises questions about whether the film can hold its ground in a crowded weekend.
Clayface starts strong with Thursday night box office numbers
Warner Bros.’ Clayface earned an estimated $3.5 million or more in Thursday previews, Deadline reported. The DC film opened previews at 2 PM on Thursday ahead of its wide weekend release. Domestic weekend forecasts currently range between $20 million and $25 million.
That opening would give the newly combined Paramount-Warner Bros. its second consecutive No. 1 debut. Last weekend’s Street Fighter launched with $31 million in its opening frame. Director James Watkins helmed the film, which carries a net production cost of $44 million before P&A.
The preview figure surpasses several comparable genre titles in the DC and horror space. Sony/Marvel’s R-rated Kraven the Hunter pulled in just $2 million in previews before its $11 million opening. The pre-Covid DC spinoff Birds of Prey earned $4 million in previews ahead of a $33 million debut. Blumhouse’s Other Mommy collected $3.6 million in previews on its way to a $27.8 million opening.
Mike Flanagan wrote the screenplay, which landed in December 2024 and attracted DC Studios heads Peter Safran and James Gunn. The standalone story follows baby-faced Hollywood actor Matt Hagen, whose ambition leads to a grotesque transformation. Production took place in the United Kingdom.
Clayface currently holds a 76% Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. That rating tops several recent DC releases, including The Flash at 63% and Joker: Folie a Deux at 31%. It trails closely behind Birds of Prey at 79% Certified Fresh.
All eyes now turn to whether the film can maintain momentum against A24’s You Can See Everything. The Elizabeth Holmes documentary expanded to 2,600 locations on Friday after a $15.6 million opening weekend. Fathom’s release of Laika’s Wildwood also entered the frame with roughly $1 million in previews.
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