Over 25 Gotham Easter Eggs, Comics References, And DCU Ties In Clayface

Published Oct 23, 2026, 5:00 PM EDT Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant's Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he's Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC's greatest hero. With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney's D23 convention. Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise. Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Clayface (2026) The DCU has just given us our first real look at Gotham City thanks to Clayface. Starring Tom Rhys Harries in the titular role, the tragic and horrifying journey of Matt Hagen and his dark transformation into Clayface is an impressive superhero body horror story the likes of which we've never really seen on the big screen before. Likewise, there's plenty of exciting references and ties to the new DCU throughout. Naturally, a movie that primarily takes place in Gotham City features all kinds of exciting Easter eggs and nods to the wider Batman mythos, even if The Dark Knight himself has yet to make a full debut in the DCU. Inspired by both the original comics and Matt Hagen's most famous arc from Batman: The Animated Series, there is plenty for longtime Batman fans to discover in this dark new DCU film. Keeping that in mind, here are over 25 of the biggest and best Easter eggs, comic references, key parallels, and DCU ties we found after watching the DC Universe's new Clayface movie. Imperial Pictures The opening of Clayface confirms that actor Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries) is shooting at Imperial Pictures in Gotham. This is the same movie studio where Matt Hagen first debuts in the two-part "Feat of Clay" episodes of Batman: The Animated Series' first season, before he fully transforms into Clayface. One Bad Day One of the rival films in contention for an Oscar is titled One Bad Day, a clear reference to the classic Joker philosophy from The Killing Joke storyline, believing that all it takes is "One Bad Day" for someone to become just as darkly insane and corrupted as himself. While Hagen does indeed have his own "One Bad Day" that forever alters the trajectory of his life, 2022 saw DC Comics publishing a One Bad Day anthology series starring different Batman villains, including Clayface. No Man’s Land One of the other movies up for an Oscar is No Man's Land, likely inspired by the comic storyline of the same name, which saw Gotham City being cut off from the United States and villains carving up the city into various territories. No Man's Land served as key source material for Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises with Bane's citywide takeover and the bridges being blown around the city, and was also adapted in Fox's live-action Gotham series as well. Corey Matt Hagen's best friend and fellow actor is named Corey Bowery in Clayface. This is potentially a reference to Corey Jameson, who was also a friend and fellow actor in Basil Karlo's One Bad Day comic. On the page, Karlo's Clayface killed and impersonated Corey Jameson after he got a part they were both up for (ironically for an in-universe movie adaptation of Joker's Killing Joker/One Bad Day origins). This is much like how Hagen's Clayface in the DCU ends up killing his own Corey after learning about his friend's betrayal to Markos Szabo. He then briefly impersonates Bowery as well. Club Vesuvius Owned by mob boss Markos Szabo in Clayface, Club Vesuvius does have comic ties, having been a location where magician Zatanna Zatara once performed on the page, while also being a hideout for the pyromaniac Firefly at one time in the original comics. The Narrows It's revealed that Matt Hagen grew up in the Gotham Narrows, which is traditionally home to the city's more derelict, crime-ridden, and lower-income neighborhoods like Lucas Heights (Hagen's home in the DCU). Although the Narrows first appeared in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins, they eventually became part of Gotham's official geography in the official comic book canon. Jimmy One-Nut AMC Jimmy One-Nut is revealed to be the name of Matt Hagen's criminal father in the DCU. He appears briefly when Hagen transforms into his father in order to confuse a thug who once knew him. Surprisingly, the incredibly quick cameo is played by none other than Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul. Because it happened so quickly, it's been speculated online that there might be more scenes featuring Aaron Paul's new DCU character and Matt Hagen's backstory that ended up being cut. Gotham Central Hospital After his face was carved up by Szabo, Matt Hagen is treated at Gotham Central Hospital. Not only is the hospital DC Comics canon, but it was also the hospital that was blown up by Heath Ledger's Joker in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight. Coast City When he was still a successful actor, Matt Hagen spent much of his time in Coast City along with Corey Bowery before moving back to Gotham City. In the comics and DCU, Coast City is the home of Hal Jordan's Green Lantern and Carol Ferris (and was briefly featured in HBO's Lanterns series). Pinkney Tower Matt Hagen ends up living in Pinkney Tower after losing his wealth and apartment following his failed court proceedings and extensive surgeries. This is a likely reference to Cyrus Pinkney in the comics, an early architect of Gotham City who also had Gotham's Museum of Natural History named after him in Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham City game. Cyrus Pinkney's grave was also featured in Batman: Arkham Origins.