In the wake of last year’s Superman, two breakout characters were reportedly being considered for TV spinoffs: Skyler Gisondo’s Jimmy Olsen, and Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific. Jimmy Olsen got the first update, back in November: The Hollywood Reporter said that the reporter would star in DC Crime. James Gunn immediately took to social media to say that was not the name of the series, but also that THR’s report was not exactly false.
Whatever the fate of Mr. Olsen may be, there is finally news about the other potential spinoff. Dropped into a long report about why Supergirl turned out the way it did is a mention of the Mister Terrific series, which THR says “is in active development with Allan Heinberg (The Sandman) writing the pilot.” (Thus far, Gunn has not refuted this news on social media.)
Gathegi was, in this writer’s estimation, the best part of Superman, and his character’s weary wisdom seems perfect for a series. But Heinberg is an odd choice. He does have a history with DC; he was one of the writers on Wonder Woman. But most of his TV work is more along the lines of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal (and The O.C. and Party of Five). The Sandman was a mixed bag, but it was at least well cast.
Very little is known about the Mister Terrific series, other than that Gathegi will presumably star. If this series happens, it will join a DC Studios lineup that currently includes the series Lanterns (premiering next month); the movie Clayface (opening October 23); the Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow (next year); and, eventually, The Batman Part II, which is also expected in 2027.
