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As of this writing, we're about a year and three months away from the scheduled release of Clayface, the third film in the James Gunn and Peter Safran-led DCU cinematic universe. However, it still appears as though there are plenty of changes that could happen along the way, as the person that has thus far been the most associated with the project says that the film is moving in a new direction. 

Specifically, Mike Flanagan is saying the movie is moving away from him.

Let's back up a bit - even before the dawn of the DCU (which launches in theaters with this summer's Superman), the horror master behind titles like Midnight Mass and The Haunting of Hill House had expressed interest in making a movie based on the classic Batman villain. When Gunn and Safran took the reins on Warner Bros. efforts to bring connected DC properties to the big screen, they adopted the script that Flanagan had write for the character. And while he was never touted as the movie's director, fans of his work 

But now, that seems to be changing.

Recently, The Life of Chuck director offered an update to to ComicBook.com regarding his involvement with the film, and 

"I don’t know what they’re doing with Clayface," Flanagan says, "I’m not directing it, and that filmmaker will need to make it their own [...] I know that they’re doing work on the script. I’m off doing other things now, I really hope it remains true to the spirit of what I wanted it to be. But it’s not my movie, so I’ll be in the audience with you, anxious to see how it comes out."

I want to point out that, while it is clear that Flanagan's molding of Clayface has been tossed back into the kiln (too much metaphor?), there's absolutely no indication that the creator is bitter. As you've just read, Flanagan says he's anxious to see a Clayface movie come out, and we're going to go ahead and take him at his word. His love for the character is palpable, as evidenced by how he described the way he first fell in love with the villainous Basil Karlo - that is, in the Batman: The Animated Series episodes, 'Feet of Clay.'

"That is the perfect [story]," Flanagan tells his interviewer. "'Feat of Clay,' [starring actor] Ron Perlman. To me, that’s it. That two-parter knocked me out. [...] That is absolutely what inspired my script. That is the world I wanted to live in. Batman: The Animated Series when I was growing up was my Batman. As much as [Michael] Keaton was my Batman, The Animated Series really was my Batman."

We feel you there, Mike. And who knows? If Clayface is a monster movie like we all imagined, maybe you'll even get a chance to take a stab at the character down the line.

Now get back to work on The Dark Tower.

The Life of Chuck is in theaters now.

Need more? Here's our picks for the best DC Comics stories of all time.