After Rewatching The Suicide Squad For The First Time, Now I Really Want To See One Of Its Killed-Off Characters Reimagined For The DCU

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In 2021, “The Suicide Squad” movie was launched as the only DC film of that year. It was played in cinemas while also being streamable with an HBO Max subscription. I’ve revisited a few scenes from the film over the years, but it wasn’t until recently that I watched the entire movie again. This time, I enjoyed it with someone who had never seen it before. Now that I’ve refreshed my memory of the movie, I find myself hoping that one of the characters killed off in “The Suicide Squad,” which was written and directed by James Gunn, might be brought back to life in the DC Universe.

I’m referring to the character portrayed by Peter Capaldi, known as Gaius Grieves or The Thinker, who spent three decades conducting experiments on Starro and was tragically torn apart when the colossal alien starfish was released from its confinement in Jötunheim. Unlike previous on-screen interpretations of The Thinker from the comics, Capaldi offered a unique take on this character. In “The Suicide Squad,” Grieves lacked distinct superintelligent characteristics beyond his electronic brain components, which echoed the New 52 version of The Thinker.

To clarify, it’s important to note that “The Suicide Squad” film exists within the DC Extended Universe, which no longer exists as a continuity. While some actions from the movie are considered part of the larger DC Universe, such as Peacemaker killing Rick Flag Jr., the film itself is not officially recognized as part of the DCU. This means that aspects of the story in “The Suicide Squad” can be reimagined to align with DCU lore. For instance, I’m thinking about an alternate version where a different intellectually gifted character, or even just a regular scientist, replaces Thinker, and Gaius Grieves has no role in the storyline at all.

In the recent episode of “Peacemaker”, there was a noticeable reference back to “The Suicide Squad”, and it seems that creator James Gunn had this in mind since the early days of the series, as far back as season 1.

Actor Jai Courtney from The Suicide Squad hints that director James Gunn might consider him coming back as Captain Boomerang in future projects. Here are some questions about the DC Universe that I’m curious about.

Clifford DeVoe, also known as the first version of The Thinker, is among DC Comics’ oldest supervillains, making his debut in the 1943 comic book “All-Flash” issue 12. In the fourth season of “The Flash” TV show, DeVoe served as the primary villain, portrayed by Neil Sandilands. I’m intrigued by the idea of DC Universe reinventing him, positioning him as a supervillain who was actively causing trouble decades prior to the current timeline in the DCU. This would pay homage to his role as a significant adversary to the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick.

For three centuries, metahumans have been part of our world’s history, with Superman marking their introduction. During this era, characters such as Wesley Dodds’ Sandman, Max Mercury, Bulletman, Bulletgirl, and Zatara were acknowledged to be real within the DC Universe, thanks to a mural in the Justice Gang’s headquarters. Although Jay Garrick might not be utilized due to potential confusion with The Flash (Barry Allen or Wally West), it doesn’t exclude the possibility that the Thinker served as an adversary for one of these heroes during the 1940s. It would certainly be exciting to see him portrayed as a villain in some upcoming Justice Society storyline.

Let me clarify that my comments aren’t intended as criticism towards Peter Capaldi’s acting in “The Suicide Squad“; instead, I feel Gaius Grieves’ character didn’t contribute significantly to the plotline. I hope his demise doesn’t halt future opportunities for a more accurate portrayal of The Thinker, as he possesses an incredible potential as a formidable villain that deserves more screen time.

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2025-09-07 19:35