James Gunn’s Superman features a bevy of strong performances, quickly establishing characters audiences can’t wait to see more of. One of the film’s breakout stars is Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific, a member of the Justice Gang who has a key supporting role helping Lois Lane and Superman at various points in the story. Mister Terrific emerged as a fan favorite, and DC Studios could be looking to capitalize on that momentum. On X (formerly Twitter), user Caleb Williams, editor-in-chief of Knight Edge Media, noted that DC filed a copyright for a Mister Terrific movie on July 16th, just a handful of days after Superman opened in theaters.
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Of course, this doesn’t mean a Mister Terrific film is imminent. In a separate post, Williams noted that studios file copyrights all the time for potential projects that ultimately don’t come to fruition. A notable example he referenced was Gotham City Sirens, which at one point was in development during the days of the DC Extended Universe.
As DC Studios co-heads Gunn and Peter Safran plot out the future of the DC Universe in the wake of Superman‘s success, Mister Terrific appears to be a character at the forefront of their minds. Earlier reports indicated Gunn was considering TV spinoffs for Mister Terrific and Jimmy Olsen. Gathegi himself commented on the TV show rumors earlier this month, sharing a very measured response. He’d love to reprise the role on a project like that, but if it doesn’t happen, then he knows “it’s for the better of the story.”
Other Justice Gang members Hawkgirl and Guy Gardner will be seen in upcoming DCU projects such as Peacemaker Season 2 and Lanterns, but fans don’t know when they’ll see Mister Terrific again. Gathegi has confirmed he has a “multi-project deal” with DC Studios, though he isn’t returning in the immediate future. Because of Gunn’s stance that a project needs to have a completed script before starting production, the specifics of Gathegi’s deal are up in the air for the time being. The actor knows his DCU future boils down to “other people’s hard work,” alluding to the screenwriters.
Mister Terrific is the latest example of Gunn elevating an obscure comic book character to fan favorite, and there’d be much interest in seeing the hero headline a project of his own. A Mister Terrific series or film would be an ideal way to flesh out one of Superman‘s standout supporting players and shed more light on the DC Universe as a whole. A spinoff revolving around Mister Terrific could serve as an avenue to do a deeper dive on the Justice Gang and their eclectic boss Maxwell Lord. While Superman largely works as a self-contained narrative, the film does leave some lingering questions unanswered, such as the nature of the Justice Gang and Lord’s motives for funding a superhero team. This would also be an opportunity to explore Mister Terrific’s tragic backstory — something Superman didn’t really have time to tackle.
As exciting as a Mister Terrific movie would be, fans shouldn’t get their hopes up just yet. DC is likely just doing its due diligence by filing the copyright. This way, they know they have it in case Mister Terrific gets fast-tracked. There’s also been no indication of a creative team for such a film, meaning it would be years away if it ever does happen. Other DCU movies, such as Wonder Woman and The Brave and the Bold, are actively being written, and Gunn is also working on some sort of Superman follow-up. Perhaps for now, a Superman sequel will be where Mister Terrific shows up next, tapping into the humorous dynamic between those two characters.
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