DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has shared a behind-the-scenes photo from Superman featuring Edi Gathegi in full costume as Mr. Terrific. The Instagram image shows Gunn directing Gathegi on set, providing fans a closer look at the technological superhero ahead of the film’s July release. Mr. Terrific, a brilliant inventor who uses floating devices called T-Spheres, will make his proper DCU debut after briefly appearing in the Superman trailer. Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific appears alongside other DC heroes in the film such as Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan), establishing connections that could extend throughout DC Studios’ planned slate of interconnected projects.
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“Happy Birthday to my great friend and great actor @iamedigathegi, who you can see in all his technological glory in #Superman in July!” Gunn wrote in his Instagram caption. The image confirms Gathegi’s costume will include signature elements from the comics, including the “Fair Play” emblem and T-shaped mask that renders the character invisible to technological surveillance. Mr. Terrific’s comic book counterpart, Michael Holt, is an Olympic decathlete with multiple PhDs who became a superhero following personal tragedy, eventually serving as chairperson of the Justice Society of America.
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Unlike the version portrayed by Echo Kellum in The CW’s Arrow series, which significantly altered the character’s background and abilities, Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific appears more faithful to the comic source material. The character’s inclusion in Superman follows Gunn’s established pattern of introducing lesser-known DC characters to mainstream audiences, similar to his approach with Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad. In addition, the connection between Mr. Terrific and Metamorpho is particularly noteworthy, as both characters were members of the Terrifics team in recent comics, suggesting potential storyline developments that might be explored in the film or future DCU projects.
How Superman Establishes the Foundation for DC’s New Universe
Recent statements from Gunn and co-CEO Peter Safran indicate that each project in their DCU slate will stand independently while establishing connections to the larger universe. With that in mind, Superman appears positioned to introduce audiences to various corners of DC Comics lore without requiring prior knowledge of these characters. This approach differs from previous DC film strategies by acknowledging the rich superhero ecosystem from the outset rather than focusing exclusively on the main character before expanding outward in subsequent films. As such, strategic inclusion of characters like Mr. Terrific demonstrates how Superman will serve as an entry point into the broader DC Universe
While Superman maintains its July 2025 release date, other announced projects like The Authority have reportedly been postponed, making the film’s success increasingly crucial for establishing the foundation of the new DCU. The presence of characters from different DC teams in Superman creates narrative pathways that could be explored in future installments as the studio develops its interconnected universe. After all, DC Studios has outlined ambitious production goals, aiming to release multiple films and television series annually across various genres. They will need to tap into different heroes to reach these objectives, and it’s best to reuse characters already introduced somewhere else.
Superman flies into theaters on July 11th.
Are you excited about Mr. Terrific’s theatrical debut? Where in the DCU do you think the character will appear next? Let us know in the comments!
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