James Gunn’s Superman reboot stars Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific – a character casual fans won’t be familiar with. So, who is Mister Terrific, and has he appeared in any other DC movies or TV shows?
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Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific, Explained
Edi Gathegi’s Superman character, Mister Terrific, is a superhero who uses his genius-level intellect to fight crime. His real name is Michael Holt and (in the comics, at least), he’s the second person to take up the “Mister Terrific” mantle. Sometimes billed as the third smartest guy on the planet, Mister Terrific has developed a range of highly advanced hardware, including his floating, multi-purpose T-Spheres. The T-Spheres project holograms, erect shields, link with or hack electronic devices, and more besides. They also allow Mister Terrific to fly. Mister Terrific’s T-Mask faceplate is also a pretty impressive bit of kit, and (among other things) renders him invisible to other technology.
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Mister Terrific doesn’t rely solely on his brains to take down evildoers, though. Not only is he an Olympic-level athlete, but he’s proficient in multiple martial arts disciplines. Oh, and he’s really rich, having built a fortune off his various inventions. Collectively, Mister Terrific’s skills and resources have made him one of the DC Universe’s more effective costumed adventurers, and he’s a long-time member of the Justice Society of America supergroup. How much of the above applies to Gathegi’s Superman incarnation of Mister Terrific remains to be seen, however.
Is Mister Terrific in Any Other DC Movies or TV Shows?
Yes, Mister Terrific appears in a range of live-action and animated DC productions. Notably, Echo Kellum portrays Mister Terrific in the CW’s Arrow. This version of the character is broadly similar to his comic book counterpart, although his first name is Curtis, not Michael. Kellum reprised the Mister Terrific role in several other Arrowverse shows, including The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and animated web series Freedom Fighters: The Ray.
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Mister Terrific also shows up in the Justice League Unlimited cartoon, voiced by Michael Beach. Hannibal Buress supplied Terrific’s vocals in an unrelated series, Justice League Action, while Gary Anthony Williams did the honors in Beware the Batman. Meanwhile, Arif S. Kinchen, Kevin Michael Richardson, Edwin Hodge, and Ato Essandoh played Terrific in animated features Justice League: Gods and Monsters, Justice League vs. the Fatal Five, Injustice, and Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One, respectively.
Are any of the above versions of Mister Terrific directly connected to Gathegi’s character in Superman? Nope, he’s an all-new creation developed specifically for Gunn’s reboot.
Superman reboot soars into cinemas on July 11, 2025.
