Summary
- Mister Terrific will play a significant role in Superman, potentially overshadowing Lex Luthor as a key supporting character.
- Despite being a non-superpowered character, Mister Terrific's skills and T-Spheres make him a formidable ally against Superman.
- Director James Gunn emphasizes that all characters in Superman serve the story, with Mister Terrific being at the core of the supporting cast.
Superman has already released its anticipated teaser trailer which showed most, if not all, of the superheroes in the film. But according to director James Gunn, one of them is more important than fans think — and it’s not Lex Luthor.
Superman, the first feature film in the revamped DC Universe, stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Kal El as well as several superheroes including Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor, Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl/Kendra Saunders Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardener/Green Lantern and Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific/Micheal Holt. Gunn had previously calmed fears that Superman would be an ensemble rather than a solo outing for the Man of Steel by stating that the characters are present to tell Superman’s story and not to set up future projects. The teaser trailer for Superman was released on December 19 and is already DC and Warner Bros.’ Most-viewed trailer of all time.
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Mister Terrific Would Be the Main Supporting Character in Superman
Lex Luthor has naturally been tagged by many as the main antagonist for Superman, as is Ultraman. But new word from James Gunn himself suggests that another (non-Lois) supporting character will steal the spotlight: Mister Terrific. As reported by IGN and CBR during a set visit, Gunn defended his choice to introduce multiple heroes in his movie, saying:
“These characters all get their moment in the sun. They all have their moments. They're not just cameos, these are the characters.”
He also revealed that Mister Terrific would be at the core of the supporting cast:
“I think it was just who I wanted to really, honestly. I love Mr. Terrific…Mister Terrific is the main character of those characters. He actually has a big part of the plot.”
Interpreting Gunn’s words strictly means that Michael Holt/Mister Terrific would have an even greater role than Lex Luthor — Superman’s most iconic adversary. Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific leads a metahuman peacekeeping force in Superman and the character’s incredible skill set makes for a formidable combatant against the Man of Steel. Mister Terrific actually has no powers, but is a scientist with an intellectual prowess comparable to Batman (the Justice Society of America giving him the title of “Third Smartest Man in the World,” behind the Caped Crusader and Lex Luthor). This enables him to decipher foes' moves, learn ancient languages, and, most importantly, wield his T-Spheres — flying metal orbs that can be used for defense, offense, and reconnaissance. A shot in the Superman trailer shows these balls projecting a force field that shields him from incoming fire. Holt also dons his signature black T-shaped mask across his face to help him sniff out energy signatures.
Contrary to what some fans might think, Superman is not the first live-action appearance of Mister Terrific . The character appeared in the CW series Arrow under the name of Curtis Holt and played by Echo Kellum, whose only semblance to the original character was his signature suit and mask. Fans would no doubt be looking forward to Edi Gathegi's version come the summer of 2025.
- Release Date
- July 11, 2025
- Runtime
- 130 minutes
- Director
- James Gunn
Cast
-
David CorenswetSuperman -
Rachel BrosnahanLois Lane
WHERE TO WATCH
Written and directed by James Gunn, Superman is the first movie in Warner Bros.' Rebooted DC Universe to center around the titular comic book hero. It introduces a new version of the Man of Steel after Henry Cavill's departure from the role, honoring the character's roots as "the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way."
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