James Gunn's Superman assembled an impressive roster of intellectual powerhouses, but DC's deepest thinkers are far from fully represented in the new DCU. Superman made some fascinating choices in building its supporting cast, particularly when it comes to showcasing DC's most brilliant minds. Nicholas Hoult takes on the role of Lex Luthor while Edi Gathegi portrays Michael Holt/Mister Terrific, bringing two of the DC Universe's most celebrated intellects to the big screen. Gathegi's Mr. Terrific has been noted as a breakout character, capturing both the patience and arrogance of a hero commonly self-referred to in the comics as the world's third smartest person.
But while Luthor and Mr. Terrific represent formidable intellectual forces, DC's vast catalog of genius-level characters means there are still plenty of brilliant minds waiting in the wings for their cinematic debut. As the DCU continues to expand, the inclusion of these characters would create opportunities for stories that are solved through wit rather than punches, problems that require intellectual collaboration between former enemies, and threats that can only be defeated by minds working in perfect harmony.
DC Geniuses That James Gunn’s DCU Could Bring to Life
The Dark Knight's Detective Mind: Batman
Perhaps the most glaring omission from any discussion of DC's smartest characters is Batman. While Bruce Wayne didn’t appear in Gunn's Superman, his absence from the current DCU roster means audiences are missing out on one of fiction's greatest tactical minds.
Batman's intelligence goes beyond raw computational power into pattern recognition, strategic thinking, and an almost supernatural ability to prepare for any scenario (read more on why this makes perfect sense for the formation of the Justice League).
The Dark Knight's investigative skills have made him the world's greatest detective, capable of solving mysteries that stump even the most advanced law enforcement agencies. His mastery of multiple scientific disciplines, combined with his tactical genius, has allowed him to stand toe-to-toe with gods and aliens using nothing but his intellect and preparation.
When Batman eventually joins the DCU, he'll bring a different kind of intelligence than what audiences have seen with Luthor's scientific megalomania or Mr. Terrific's technological prowess.
The Atom's Microscopic Genius: Ray Palmer
Dr. Ray Palmer, better known as The Atom, represents pure scientific brilliance focused on manipulating matter itself. Some comic discussions even place Ray Palmer above Batman in terms of raw intelligence, highlighting his expertise in physics and quantum mechanics.
Palmer's discovery of size-changing technology through dwarf star matter demonstrates the kind of breakthrough scientific thinking that could revolutionize the DCU's approach to superheroics.
What makes Palmer particularly compelling is how his scientific achievements translate directly into his heroic capabilities. Unlike characters whose intelligence serves primarily as background flavor, The Atom's genius is integral to every aspect of his superhero identity.
His ability to shrink to subatomic levels while retaining his full strength opens up storytelling possibilities that would beautifully complement Superman's more straightforward metahuman power set.
The 12th-Level Threat: Brainiac
No discussion of DC's smartest characters would be complete without addressing the elephant in the room, or rather, the android. Brainiac has been repeatedly confirmed as a 12th-level intellect, a phrase that denotes the smartest inhabitants of the DC universe. As an enemy of Superman who poses multiverse-level threats, Brainiac represents intelligence as a force of cosmic destruction.
What makes Brainiac particularly terrifying isn't just his computational abilities, but how he uses that intelligence to collect and preserve civilizations, often by destroying the originals. His obsession with knowledge and perfection creates a fascinating contrast to Superman's more humanistic approach to problem-solving.
A properly executed Brainiac would serve as the ultimate intellectual antagonist, someone whose mind works on levels that even other geniuses struggle to comprehend.
The Future's Finest Mind: Brainiac 5
Speaking of 12th-level intellects, Brainiac 5 possesses one that reaches almost literal god-like levels, making him one of the smartest beings not just on Earth but in the entire galaxy.
As a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes from the 30th and 31st centuries, Querl Dox brings a perspective on intelligence that spans millennia of technological and social evolution.
Unlike his villainous ancestor, Brainiac 5 uses his incredible intellect in service of heroism and justice. His ability to process information and solve problems operates on a scale that makes other geniuses look like children playing with building blocks. The character's inclusion in future DCU projects would allow filmmakers to explore what intelligence looks like when it's unbound by the limitations of 21st-century thinking.
The Technological Titan: Victor Stone/Cyborg
Victor Stone represents a different kind of intelligence: the fusion of human creativity with technological enhancement. While his cybernetic implants give him access to vast computational resources, it's Stone's human intelligence that guides how he uses those capabilities.
Fans have seen his unique perspective in Zack Snyder's Justice League, but he has yet to appear in Gunn's DCU as someone who straddles the line between human and machine and offers insights that purely organic or artificial intelligences might miss.
Cyborg's technological interface abilities make him invaluable for dealing with threats that operate in digital spaces or rely on advanced technology. His intelligence manifests not just in problem-solving but in his ability to adapt and integrate new technologies into his existing systems, essentially making him a living embodiment of technological evolution.
The Robotics Revolutionary: T.O. Morrow
Professor Thomas Oscar Morrow represents one of DC's most underrated scientific minds. He specializes in robotics and temporal technology. As the creator of both the android Red Tornado and the villainous group Tomorrow Woman, Morrow's genius lies in his ability to create artificial life that rivals or exceeds human capabilities in both intelligence and emotion.
T.O. Morrow’s most fascinating point is his mastery over time itself. His surname isn't just a coincidence, as he's demonstrated the ability to see into potential futures and use that knowledge to stay several steps ahead of his opponents.
This temporal awareness, combined with his robotics expertise, makes him a unique threat who can literally prepare for tomorrow's problems today. His androids have gone on to become heroes in their own right, showing how his intelligence can create beings that surpass their creator's original intentions.
