"I don't need your help... I'm goddamn Mr. Terrific."
Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) was introduced in James Gunn's Superman as a member of the corporatized super-team known as the Justice Gang along with Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and ended up emerging as the standout character of the group.
After Green Lantern and Hawkgirl refuse to help Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) break the Man of Steel (David Corenswet) out of Lex Luthor's (Nicholas Hoult) holding cell, Terrific decides to accompany her.
The super-smart hero gets his own action set-piece set to Noah and the Whale's "5 Years Time," is instrumental is preventing the black hole from consuming Metropolis, and even shows up alongside Kal-El in the movie's post-credits scene.
During an interview with Variety, Gathegi revealed that the stinger was originally a part of the movie.
"That was originally in the movie. I wasn’t there for the decision making, but to me, it’s exciting because that’s a promise. I don’t know if it’s a promise that DC is intending to make, but to have that moment at the very end of the movie, for me personally, is the full circle moment of me being unceremoniously killed before the big battle in X-Men: First Class to be kind of the last man standing."
He adds: "The day of the premiere, I got a text message from James saying, 'Heads up, just so you know, some things are different, and that scene is now the end.'"
We're not sure when or where we'll see Mr. Terrific again in the DCU, but Gathegi has confirmed that he did sign a multi-project deal when he joined the cast of Superman.
"I know that I have a multi-project deal, but the specifics of that are unknown to me. What James is driving home is the idea that they’re never going to rush into production with scripts that aren’t ready, so even whatever they do have planned for my characters is irrelevant until the draft comes in and it’s shootable. So I don’t count my chickens before they hatch. I want to be involved in this universe in a major way, and whether or not that comes to fruition is just a matter of time and faith and other people’s hard work."
According to a recent report, a Mr. Terrific solo series is being considered, but even if that doesn't end up being developed, we're sure the character will return in the Superman sequel (whatever form that happens to take).
Superman also stars Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell as "Ma" and "Pa" Kent, and María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer.
"And that’s a wrap," Gunn posted last year when filming concluded. "God bless our cast and crew whose commitment, creativity, and hard work have brought this project to life. I set out to make a movie about a good man in a world that isn’t always so much. And the goodness and kindness and love I’ve encountered on a daily basis on the set has inspired me and thrust me forward when I felt too spent to move on my own.
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. It has been an honor. The destination has been Superman, but the journey has been the toil and the laughter and the emotions and ideas and magic we’ve shared together on set - and for that I am forever grateful."
You can check out a synopsis for the movie below.
"In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind."