Warner Bros.' Clayface, directed by James Watkins and starring Tom Rhys Harries and Naomi Ackie, is projected to earn between $25 million and $30 million domestically from over 3,400 North American theaters in its opening weekend, with an additional $20 million to $25 million expected internationally. The film, budgeted at a relatively modest $44 million, tells the story of actor Matt Hagen (Harries) who seeks assistance from a scientist (Ackie) after a disfiguring accident.
This release marks a crucial moment for DC Studios under co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran. It's their third feature film since taking the helm, following last year's successful launch of Superman and the more challenging performance of Supergirl. The $170 million-budgeted Supergirl debuted to a soft $37.1 million domestically and concluded its global run with $126 million, making Clayface's more conservative budget a potential advantage in achieving profitability.
Critics have responded positively to Clayface, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting a 75 percent approval rating, a significant improvement over Supergirl's 52 percent. Frank Sheck, a critic for The Hollywood Reporter, praised the film as "a big swing that definitely pays off," suggesting it could resonate with audiences seeking something different from the superhero fare.
The primary contender for the weekend's top spot, however, is A24's You Can See Everything. The documentary, helmed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, chronicles the life of disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes before her prison sentence. After a sensationally strong opening weekend where it overperformed to the tune of $15 million, placing second behind Street Fighter, the film is now expanding to 2,600 North American theaters. It's projected to gross at least $18 million in its second frame, with potential to climb even higher.
Beyond these two front-runners, the weekend also sees several other notable releases. Laika's stop-motion animated feature Wildwood, directed by Travis Knight, enters 2,926 theaters with a perfect 100 percent Rotten Tomatoes score. Sony brings Klara and the Sun, featuring Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams under Taika Waititi's direction. Amazon MGM Studios offers Ali G: Who Iz I?, a Sacha Baron Cohen comedy hitting theaters for a limited one-week run before its Prime Video debut. Finally, Black Bear's romantic fantasy Wicker, a Sundance standout starring Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård, also makes its theatrical bow. This crowded field means Clayface will need more than just critical goodwill to stand out and deliver the box office triumph DC Studios is hoping for.