The DCU Is Giving a Tragically Underutilized DCEU Actor a Second Chance

The new DCU is on the horizon with James Gunn’s Superman film set to serve as its “true beginning” next summer, kick-starting a whole slew of new interconnected stories, characters, and opportunities for DC-related media. Before Superman, however, the fans are also being treated to an animated series that will tie-in with the rest of the upcoming slate of other films and television shows. However, the newly reset franchise isn’t just offering a new chance for better character representation and a better sense of coherency, but it’s also offering certain actors from the previous DC Extended Universe a new chance within the world of DC. One of these has already been confirmed to have scored a role for Creature Commandos, with David Harbour voicing the character of Frankenstein. Seeing how voice actors in animated projects will also be playing their parts in live action within the ongoing continuity, it appears that Harbour is committed and in it for the long run.

Many seem to have forgotten, however, that Harbour had previously played another DC character in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad in 2016. The film’s overall reception was less than favorable and Harbour’s role was nowhere near as prominent or as memorable as any of the other supporting characters. Even Harbour doesn’t seem to have a favorable view of either the film or the role that he had in it. Given the importance that Frankenstein plays within the realm of the Creature Commandos comics, it can be safe to assume that the upcoming series, along with whatever projects featuring his character that will follow, are sure to give him the due with DC that he deserves from the beginning.

Who Did David Harbour Play in Suicide Squad?

Despite the intriguing premise and all the interesting characters that were featured in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, many fans were disappointed by how the overall film turned out. Many also found it odd that Harbour, whose career had been taking off in a whole new way with the success of the hit Netflix series, Stranger Things, was given such a minuscule and arguably meaningless role. In the film, Harbour makes his first and only appearance in the role of Dexter Tolliver. An adaptation of the character Derek Tolliver from the comics, Dexter is one of the government officials who Amanda Waller meets with near the beginning of the film and is ultimately convinced to give the green light to her plan for Task Force X. In the years since the film’s release, many seem to forget that Harbour was ever even in it, with the character having no memorable lines, scenes, or any major impact on the overall story.

The film was a box-office success but faced a barrage of critical scorn as well as received an overall negative response from DC fans; it seems that even Harbour himself doesn’t seem to look back on his time making the film with much fondness. While doing the WIRED Autocomplete Interview with Winona Ryder in 2019 to promote Season 3 of Stranger Things, one of the Google questions that was geared towards Harbour was “Who is David Harbour in Suicide Squad?” The actor’s response was rather dismissive, while also giving off the impression that he may not have even bothered to remember the name of the character, simply answering “I wore a suit, I had like three lines”. Thankfully, seeing how Creature Commandos has cast Harbour as one of the series’ lead characters, not only does he appear much more enthusiastic about being in a DC project than the last time, but the fans can certainly look forward to seeing better use of his acting ability.

The Importance of Frankenstein in Creature Commandos

Even though the show is sure to touch on Eric Frankenstein’s backstory and abilities, those who are more familiar with the Creature Commandos comics probably already know the importance that he brings to his team. In the comics, much like in Mary Shelley’s novel, he was an experiment by Dr. Victor Frankenstein, assembled from stolen body parts along with the blood of the evil time traveler, Mr. Melmoth. Having fought in several wars, he acquired many deadly combative skills. Also, having superhuman levels of strength, not needing to eat or sleep, and being essentially immortal, he certainly brings plenty of needed assets to any dangerous missions. He begins a romance with The Bride and is also eventually given a much bigger spotlight when he joins the ranks of Justice League Dark.

It’s more than possible that James Gunn will end up changing a few things regarding the character and his origin, similar to the changes he brought to Peacemaker. In a talk with i09 at the BoxLunch Holiday Gala in 2023, Harbour opened up about why he found the role so intriguing, saying “The most interesting thing to me about Frankenstein’s monster in general is that he was created to be this sort of erudite, intellectual, romantic, brilliant person, and he winds up being a monster. I mean, that complexity can make for some pretty ripe comedy and also pathos.” Regardless of how Gunn manages to translate him into the animation (as well as live-action, eventually), the role of Frankenstein certainly offers Harbour plenty of fun material to work with as an actor, something that both the previous regime of DC and the first Suicide Squad film failed to do.

Creature Commandos Is Giving David Harbor a Better Chance of Success in the DC Universe

Over the last eight years, David Harbour has taken on many memorable roles in even more successful films, with dramas like Gran Tourismo and action comedies like Violent Night, but he’s also managed to gain some new footing in the comic book film genre. While he received praise for his performance as the titular hero for the 2019 Hellboy reboot, the film’s overall critical and commercial failure didn’t do him any favors. In 2021, however, he was able to bounce back when he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Black Widow, playing Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, the Russian super-soldier equivalent of Captain America, a role that he’s set to reprise in the upcoming Thunderbolts film. Marvel has finally given Harbour a superhero role that perfectly utilizes his talents for both action and comedy, but with everything the actor has revealed about Creature Commandos so far, it seems that DC is finally doing the same.

In the previously mentioned talk with i09, Harbour praised Gunn’s writing, calling the scripts “really good”, while also reflecting on how much fun he had playing the role and how he hopes to be back with a reprisal very soon. “What we recorded is really great. I’ve seen the art, James is a genius”, he said. “I think it’s going to be really fun and really exciting, and it opens up a whole new door to the DC Universe of how these characters will occupy the world. I like the concept of a live action and cartoon back and forth.” The DCU is giving the fans plenty of reasons to be hyped over upcoming projects that are sure to do right by their characters, but it’s also giving one of DCEU’s most misused actors a role and a project that look to be be better use of his time and talent.