As the hype and the big bucks continue to pour in after Superman (2025)’s soaring box office debut, one thing is clear: fans can’t get enough of Mister Terrific. Actor Edi Gathegi brought the first comics-accurate incarnation of the prodigious superhero to the big screen in James Gunn’s opus, and was the standout member of the corporate-sponsored “Justice Gang”. While one could find playing a character with 14 PhDs who also happens an Olympian and a self-made millionaire daunting, Gathegi embodied Mister Terrific with an undeniable cool factor and a whole lot of heart… even if he didn’t always wear it on the sleeve of his iconic Fair Play jacket.
Though there’s no active Mister Terrific solo project on the DCU development slate currently, that could be changing. According to The Wall Street Journal, both Mister Terrific and Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) are now being eyed for their own TV spinoffs. When asked about a spinoff, Gathegi told TheWrap that he would “love to step into his shoes again. I’ve fallen in love with this character.”
Despite his eagerness, Gathegi was also quick to caveat that Gunn’s vision and master plan for the DCU was paramount. “If they feel like the best way to continue telling this story is with Mister Terrific, then I’ll be grateful. If it’s not, then I know it’s for the better of the story.”
Mister Teriffic’s Tragic Past Makes Him the Perfect Candidate for His Own TV Show
Though Superman introduced many moviegoers to Mister Terrific and his cool, albeit slightly “grumpy” demeanor, there’s more to the character than just impeccable fashion sense, black mask, and “t-spheres”. The character of Mister Terrific, or Michael Holt, was created in 1997 by John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake, and was a child genius that went on to become an Olympic decathlete, then a self-made multi-millionaire. However, after Holt lost his wife and child a in car crash, he contemplated suicide. DC hero Spectre convinced him to use his intellect, strength, and resources for good, resulting in Holt picking up the mantle of Mister Terrific from the Golden Age hero Terry Sloan, ultimately leading him to serve as the chairman of the Justice Society of America for a stint in DC Comics’s JSA.
Mister Terrific’s struggle with tragedy and grief, coupled with his diverse power set would make for amazing television, especially with Gathegi in the lead role. After all, Gathegi’s no stranger to complex roles in prestige series, having starred in the hit shows For All Mankind, StartUp, and The Blacklist.
“He’s not defined by his loss, but he doesn’t ignore it either,” Gathegi told TheWrap about his take on Mister Terrific’s tragic past, which he feels “is what fuels his brilliance…That’s why he’s so adamant about the ethical use of AI and just ethics in general. He’s got a code that rivals Superman.”
In addition to having the potential to be both a moving character study and action-packed romp, a Mister Terrific show also has the potential to pickup where Gunn’s film left off inspiring a new generation of children and adults alike — similar to how Superman has everyone espousing that kindness is “punk rock.” Gathegi went on to claim that Mister Terrific is the “the embodiment of cool” because of his security in himself. “There’s an opportunity to create new norms for kids — Black kids, but also all kids — who are told they’re too smart, or nerdy, or quiet. Mister Terrific inspires them to feel like they can be themselves. It’s their intellect that’s powerful.”
With a message as powerful as that, we’d be shocked if Gunn wasn’t working on a Mister Terrific series right now.
Superman (2025) is now playing in theaters.
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