James Gunn is in control (well, co-control) of DC’s cinematic efforts, and he’s now seemingly given us the first hint as to what he’s planning to do with it. Director / producer / writer / everything James Gunn tweeted out a standalone image of Mister Terrific, a C-level hero in the DC Comics world that most people don’t know, and if they do it’s probably from his supporting role in Arrow, not the comics. That’s enough to drive speculation of a potential Mister Terrific DC Studios movie or TV show.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) November 15, 2022
Gunn is pretty active on social media and shares a lot of his passions and loves, so there is a chance that he was just in the mood to show off some Alex Ross artwork of Mister Terrific. However, it seems more likely that the director is hinting that a new movie or show in the pipeline for DC under his stewardship will prominently feature Mister Terrific. Taking little-known characters and propelling them into the forefront of popular culture is kind of Gunn’s forte as he did it in Guardians of the Galaxy, The Suicide Squad, and Peacemaker, so it stands to reason that he would take the same approach to ushering in the new era of DC Studios. Then again, maybe Mister Terrific is just making an appearance in the second season of Peacemaker?
For those who have never heard of Mister Terrific, this rendition is a vigilante hero who first appeared in the Spectre comics in 1997. His actual name is Michael Holt, and he’s a bit of a genius. After the death of his wife and unborn child, he takes the mantle of Golden Age hero Mister Terrific and joins the Justice Society of America, using his incredible technology and ability to learn anything rapidly to fight crime. Those balls floating around him in the picture are T-Spheres, which have several functions and help him defeat bad guys.
Whatever the tweet does end up revealing, it is a hint at the future of DC under him. While Dwayne Johnson might have been focused on bringing Henry Cavill back as Superman, Gunn is clearly looking to further explore the smaller side of things, pulling in interesting characters over blockbuster names. It’s a strategy that has worked for him in the past, and as a somewhat obsessive comic book fan, he has the background and knowledge to do it really well. Looking at the future of DC, this could mean many more smaller characters getting a chance to shine during Gunn’s rebuilding of the universe.
