Gotham Takes Over New Brighton Prom: What's Clayface got to do with Disney?

Batman’s shape-shifting sometime ally, sometime foe, Clayface is heading to the big screen, but why should UK Disney fans take notice of a DC villain? Beyond the Batcave and the smoky Gotham streets being created on the UK streets, there are some fascinating Disney connections at play. Clayface’s story shines a spotlight on how the world of superheroes and villains has come to make fans automatically think of the House of Mouse.

Clayface 101

Clayface has been part of DC Comics for decades. First appearing in Detective Comics #40 in 1940, Clayface was originally known as Basil Karlo. A character twisted by revenge, he is a villain with distinct shape-shifting powers. His body is made of clay and he can change his appearance at will. Melting, morphing, and moulding himself into anything he desires, monstrous forms definitely included.

It’s this shapeshifting villainy that leads to the Disney parallels. And there are more than you might think…

Disney Loves Shapeshifters

Disney films often feature shapeshifting characters as villains, and heroes. The fascination of a character who can transform at will is one both Disney fans and Imagineers alike seem to share. From the hero characters of Genie in both the animated and live versions of Aladdin, to Maui in Moana, and Camilo in Encanto, these shapeshifting characters add humour to stories and capture our hearts.

The villainous shapeshifters however, add that pinch of uncertainty, help to make those jumpy moments, and bring just a touch of fear to movies. Disney loves a shapeshifting villain, as much as a shapeshifting hero.

5 top Disney Shapeshifting Villains

The top 5 shapeshifting villains from Disney films include:

1. Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty) - The evil witch who transformed into the unforgettable black fire-breathing dragon.

2. Ursula (The Little Mermaid) - The sea witch who transformed into Vanessa casting a spell upon Prince Eric.

3. Jafar (Aladdin) - The sorcerer who transformed into a giant snake.

4. Pain and Panic (Hercules) - Transforming into various animals, but also children to lure Hercules into Hydra.

5. Kalabar (Halloweentown) - The evil shapeshifting mayor who transforms into a huge shadowy creature.

Couldn’t you just see Clayface joining this list of baddies?

The Villain Angle

Just looking at the list above you realise how many of these characters are present in Disney Parks, on Disney merchandise, and will feature highly in the much-anticipated new Disney Villains Land in Walt Disney World. The love of villains is not just a Disney fascination, but also a DC fascination too.

The dark and villainous criminal tendencies of Clayface are something that would never have aligned with Disney years ago. But quite recently, the world of Gotham has been confused as being part of the Disney bubble. But more on that further on.

The villain angle is something that Disney has shown a keen interest in in recent years. Villains are even making their way onto the Disney Cruise Lines. The live action Cruella was filmed, in part, on the streets of London in the UK between August and November 2019, just as Clayface is being filmed here now.

Shooting in the UK

The set of Clayface is being brought to life on the streets of the UK, with filming in Liverpool, Stockport, and now New Brighton prom. The smoky transformation was watched by many fans out in awe of a blockbuster production happening on Kings Parade in New Brighton.

By the light of the moon, Gotham really came to life. The street full of extras, film stars, a whirling ferris wheel, and Gotham cars. For the fans watching from the barriers, the magic of superhero movies being filmed in the UK was palpable. And New Brighton isn’t the first UK suburb to find itself at the heart of blockbuster movie-making.

The UK: Disney’s Filming Playground

Disney too uses the UK as a creative playground, taking to the UK streets to bring to life the worlds of various villains and heroes:

• Maleficent (2014): Ashridge Estate in Hertfordshire and Petworth Park in West Sussex

• Doctor Strange (2016): Surrey, London, and Oxford

• Black Widow (2020): Hankley Common, Upper Heyford Airfield, Oxfordshire.

Pinewood Studios in Iver Heath was also used for filming Maleficent and Black Widow, as well as being the home to Star Wars for over a decade.

The UK is a place that Disney has a “strong connection” with, as Disney’s EMEA President, (2019 - Feb 2025) Jan Koeppen shared at the 2024 Deloitte and Enders Media and Telecoms and Beyond Conference. It is a connection he said was set to remain until at least 2033.

Disney and DC Worlds Collide

Wandering the set of Clayface, the Gotham plated cars lining the street as the dark set in and the smoke billowed down the street, the atmosphere felt far from Disney. Or did it?

With spooky season upon us and the new Villain’s Land coming, it was easy to imagine this as being part of the Disney world. It’s no wonder then that the question, “Is Gotham and Batman Disney?” one that has popped up many times before.

Now to clear this up, the answer is no. Gotham and all associated characters belong to DC Comics, but it’s a rumour that floats around from time to time and we can understand why. With Disney owning both Marvel and Star Wars, they do sort of dominate the superhero space at the moment.

Still Batman and Gotham have always been DC Comics. So, as co-CEO of DC Comics James Gunn said in 2024, it’s a “very strange rumour”.

Super-Studio Giants Longstanding Rivalry

DC Comics and Warner Brothers own the rights to Clayface, so it’s definitely not a Disney production. But the rivalry between the two homes of fan favourite super heroes is one that has been going for decades.

With the Marvel Cinematic Universe steadily producing films that are box office smashes generating countless spin-offs. Meanwhile DC Comics have been less consistent in their vision and the creation of a universe where crossovers regularly abound in the cinema. With that said, The Joker and Suicide Squad have been big hits.

The rivalry between the slightly darker DC Universe of Gotham and the Marvel Universe is one that will continue for years to come. Both creating movies with visual effects leaving fans in awe, and telling the adventures of iconic characters.

Why Disney Fans Should Care?

Whether Disney or DC Comics, a new superhero film being shot in the UK is something magical for fans to get excited about. The UK is fast becoming a hub for superhero film creation, so who knows, next time it might be a Disney film set we’re bringing you news about.

For UK fans, it’s a reminder that you don’t have to be in Hollywood, or at a Disney Park, to brush up against movie magic. Sometimes, the magic is just down the road.