Clayface on track for No. 1 with estimated $24M-$25M opening

Warner Bros. and DC's R-rated horror film Clayface looks set to win the weekend box office. Deadline's Saturday update said Clayface earned $10.4 million from Friday and previews, pointing to a $24 million to $25 million opening.

That would put the film just under the $25 million to $30 million domestic start that Warner Bros. had projected, THR reported. The second spot belongs to A24's documentary You Can See Everything, which Deadline said is heading for $19 million to $20 million in its second weekend.

Key facts

• Deadline puts the Clayface opening at $24 million to $25 million after $10.4 million from Friday and previews.
• THR reported that Clayface took in $3.5 million from Thursday previews.
• Deadline said the film earned an A- CinemaScore, matching James Gunn's Superman.
• Deadline expects You Can See Everything to make $19 million to $20 million after a $6.1 million second Friday.
• Deadline estimates all films together will gross $97.6 million, 29% above the same weekend last year.

How the weekend is shaping up

Deadline's first estimate called for a $23 million to $25 million Clayface opening at 3,458 theaters after a $9.5 million Friday that counted previews. By Saturday morning, the outlet had nudged that range up to $24 million to $25 million, based on $10.4 million from Friday and previews.

You Can See Everything grew from 855 locations to 2,655 for its second weekend, according to Deadline. Its first weekend brought in $15 million, which THR said was the best launch for a film in fewer than 1,000 theaters since Borat in 2006.

Laika's stop-motion film Wildwood is on pace for third place with $11 million or more after a $4.2 million Friday, Deadline reported. Black Bear's Wicker, with Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgard, is headed for a $5.5 million to $6 million start at 1,471 theaters, per Deadline.

Deadline compared the Clayface start with other October genre debuts, such as Smile at $22.6 million and Black Phone 2 at $27.2 million.

Background

THR said Clayface centers on Matt Hagen, an actor who seeks a scientist's help after his face is disfigured. Variety reported that James Watkins directed the film, in which the shape-shifting Batman villain starts as a Hollywood actor whose risky medical treatment goes badly wrong. THR said Tom Rhys Harries and Naomi Ackie star, and it is the first DC Studios release since Supergirl.

Deadline reported that a Mike Flanagan script in December 2024 won over James Gunn and Peter Safran, and the film was shot in the UK for a net production cost of $44 million before marketing. Variety said that $44 million budget is far smaller than the cost of Superman or Supergirl.

DC has gone the lower-budget route before.

Reviews have been friendly. Deadline said Clayface holds a 76% certified fresh critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, above The Flash at 63% and Supergirl at 52%. THR critic Frank Scheck called it "a big swing that definitely pays off".

What it means for you

Audiences seem to agree with critics so far. Deadline said fans at Thursday previews gave Clayface 4 1/2 stars on PostTrak and a 94% Rotten Tomatoes audience score. The film's A- CinemaScore tops Supergirl's B- and The Flash's B, Deadline added.

The crowd skews young. Deadline reported that moviegoers ages 18-34 made up 73% of the audience, and Hispanic and Latino viewers made up 35%.

Imax fans will not find the film on those screens. Deadline said Street Fighter booked Imax for two weeks, so Clayface has none, though premium large formats account for close to half its weekend gross.

Practical steps

• THR reported that Warner Bros. opened Clayface in more than 3,400 North American theaters on Friday.
• If you want a large-format showing, Deadline said premium large formats, not Imax, are carrying the film.

What happens next

These are early estimates, and it is not yet known whether Clayface will reach the studio's own forecast.

Overseas, THR said Warner Bros. projected a $20 million to $25 million international opening. Variety reported Clayface was on track for $20 million to $25 million abroad and a global start of $45 million to $55 million. International results have not been reported.

A first-place finish would hand the newly merged Paramount-Warner Bros. its second No. 1 opener in a row, after Street Fighter made $31 million last weekend, Deadline said. The outlet also said some think You Can See Everything could reach $80 million in North America.

Next weekend may be slow. Deadline expects a weak Halloween weekend because the holiday lands on a Saturday.

FAQ

What was the No. 1 movie this weekend? Deadline's Saturday update projects Clayface at No. 1 with a $24 million to $25 million opening.

How did audiences rate Clayface? It earned an A- CinemaScore, the same grade as James Gunn's Superman, Deadline reported.

What is You Can See Everything about? THR said it is a documentary from Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim about Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes.

Who directed Clayface? Variety reported that James Watkins directed the R-rated DC film.

Is Clayface playing in Imax? No. Deadline said Street Fighter holds the Imax screens for two weeks.