Superman 2025 Teaser Trailer: Who is Mr Terrific and Why is James Gunn Calling him a “main character”?

Mr Terrific, a little known DC hero, portrayed by Edi Gathegi, has shined even with very limited screentime in the latest Superman 2025 teaser trailer. The genius inventor is in a scene shielding someone from gunfire in his T-suit with a force field of some kind. 

But who is this hero and what role does he play in the film? In this article, we will discuss everything we know about Mr Terrific and his role in Superman 2025. 

Who is DC hero Mr Terrific?

Mr Terrific/ Michael Holt was created by artist Tom Mandrake and writer John Ostrander in 1997’s Spectre issue 54. After the death of his wife, son, and brother, Holt was visited by the the Spectre, who told him about the first Mister Terrific called Terry Sloane from the WWII era and inspired him to use his super genius for good. This made him pick up the title of Mr Terrific. 

Holt also adopted Terry’s motto of “Fair Play,” which he displays on his jacket as an homage. He is a classic genius, quite like Lex Luthor, but he is also athletic and talented in martial arts, quite like Batman. His signature gadgets are the T-Spheres, robotic floating balls that can do pretty much whatever the comic-book narrative needs. 

In the comics, Mr Terrific is a part of the Justice Society of America and is known as the ‘Third Smartest Man in the World.’ So who are the first two? Popular belief says that’s Batman and Lex Luthor. During the 2000s, Mr Terrific became a regular part of the DC universe and was seen in events like Infinite Crisis and the Blackest Night. 

When DC rebooted its universe into the New 52 in 2011, they gave him his own solo series, although it didn’t go on for long. From 2018 to 2010, he was a part of a group called The Terrifics which included Plastic Man, Phantom Girl, and Metamorpho. While the series featuring them isn’t ongoing now, the team is still active in the comics multiverse. 

What role will Mr Terrific play in Superman 2025?

During a set visit James Gunn revealed more about Mr. Terrific’s role in the film (via Gizmodo). He said, “These characters all get their moment in the sun. They all have their moments. They’re not just cameos, these are the characters. They’re supporting cast, but Mister Terrific is the main character of those characters.”

By “these characters,” James Gunn means the DC heroes who also appeared in the Superman teaser trailer like Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, and more. It’s possible that Mr Terrific will be more of an ally of Superman than the other heroes who are working for Maxwell Lord. 

As for whether we will see the character in other DC projects, that remains to be seen. 

Superman hits theaters on July 11, 2025.