Clayface Director Explains Why He Kept Mike Flanagan's Script
James Watkins says Flanagan's script was the reason he took the job, and that Matt Hagen's arc stayed intact after Hossein Amini joined.
Director James Watkins said the core of Mike Flanagan's screenplay was what drew him to Clayface, and that its central character arc survived the rewrite process. Watkins discussed the film's script in an interview with ScreenRant.
According to Watkins, the arc of Matt Hagen and his relationship with Caitlin did not change from Flanagan's original script. The adjustments, he said, were about finessing elements within the script and leaning into certain areas.
Hossein Amini was brought on to work on the screenplay after Flanagan. Watkins described the changes as little calibrations along the journey, rather than a reworking of the story's foundation.
One point Watkins said he wanted to make clear was that Matt Hagen is relatable up front, and that the story is not just about vanity.
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Quick answers
Who wrote the original Clayface script?
Mike Flanagan wrote the original script, according to director James Watkins. Hossein Amini was later brought on to work on the screenplay.
Did Matt Hagen's arc change from Mike Flanagan's script?
James Watkins said the arc of Matt Hagen and his relationship with Caitlin did not change from Flanagan's original script.
What did James Watkins change in the Clayface script?
Watkins described the adjustments as finessing elements within the script and leaning into certain areas, which he called little calibrations along the journey.