A Mr. Terrific series is reportedly in the works at DC Studios, with a Sandman writer on board
Mr. Terrific stole the show in last year’s Superman (for better or worse given the name of the movie), and now DC Studios is reportedly developing a solo series for him. With The Sandman’s Allan Heinberg writing the pilot and Edi Gathegi expected back, here’s what we know, and the one caveat to keep in mind.
The breakout star of James Gunn’s Superman may be getting his own show. According to a new report, DC Studios is developing a standalone series centered on Mr. Terrific, the scene-stealing super-genius played by Edi Gathegi.
It’s exciting news for fans who fell in love with the character last summer, though there’s an important caveat about just how official this is. Here’s the full breakdown.
What’s reportedly happening
Let’s start with the news, and where it came from.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, a Mr. Terrific solo series is in active development at DC Studios. Even better, the pilot is reportedly being written by Allan Heinberg, a genuine heavy-hitter, more on why that’s a big deal in a moment.
One note on how this surfaced: the news wasn’t a splashy standalone announcement. It was revealed inside a larger THR report about the box-office struggles of Supergirl, almost as an aside about DC’s upcoming slate. So while the reporting is solid, this is a “quietly in development” situation, not a formal, greenlit series with a premiere date. Treat it as promising momentum rather than a done deal.
Why Allan Heinberg is a big deal
Here’s why fans should be genuinely encouraged.
Getting Allan Heinberg to write the pilot is a real statement of intent. Heinberg has an outstanding track record juggling comic-book spectacle with rich, character-driven drama. His résumé is stacked:
He wrote the screenplay for 2017’s beloved Wonder Woman.
He was the showrunner of Netflix’s acclaimed The Sandman.
In comics, he created Marvel’s Young Avengers and wrote celebrated runs on Justice League and Wonder Woman.
That pedigree suggests DC is aiming for something prestige and character-first, which is a perfect match for Mr. Terrific, a hero whose story is as much about intellect and personal loss as it is about action.
Who is Mr. Terrific?
For the uninitiated, here’s why this character deserves the spotlight.
Mr. Terrific, real name Michael Holt, is one of the smartest people in the entire DC Universe, often ranked as the third-smartest person on the planet. He’s a self-made genius: an Olympic-level athlete, a tech innovator with multiple doctorates, and the inventor of his signature floating “T-Spheres.”
His backstory carries real emotional weight, too. In the comics, Holt is a man who lost his wife and fell into deep despair before finding renewed purpose as a hero. That combination of dazzling intellect, athletic prowess, and genuine tragedy makes him a rich, layered character, perfect for a psychological tech-thriller series.
Why DC is fast-tracking him
Here’s the reason this is happening now.
It all comes down to Gathegi’s breakout. When Superman hit theaters last summer as the launch of Gunn’s new DC Universe, Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific was widely singled out as the film’s scene-stealer, cool, charismatic, and endlessly watchable. Fans immediately started clamoring for more.
DC clearly noticed. Gathegi already has a confirmed multi-project deal with DC Studios and is set to reprise the role in the upcoming Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow. A solo series is the natural next step for a character who resonated far more than anyone expected, a rare bright spot the studio would be smart to build on.
The bigger picture for the DCU
Here’s the honest context.
This news arrives at a mixed moment for DC Studios. On one hand, Superman was a hit and the DCU’s TV efforts (Peacemaker, Creature Commandos) have been well-received. On the other, Supergirl just underperformed at the box office, the very report that revealed this Mr. Terrific news.
A Mr. Terrific series (likely for HBO Max, where the DCU houses its shows like Lanterns and the upcoming Jimmy Olsen project) fits Gunn’s clear strategy of spinning popular film characters into prestige TV, exactly what he did with Peacemaker. Leaning into a beloved, proven character like Mr. Terrific is a smart, low-risk way to keep DCU momentum going while the bigger films find their footing.
Mr. Terrific series: what to know about the DC Studios show
A Mr. Terrific series is reportedly in active development at DC Studios, with The Sandman‘s Allan Heinberg writing the pilot and Superman breakout Edi Gathegi expected to return. For fans who wanted more of the DCU’s coolest genius, that’s genuinely great news, and Heinberg’s involvement suggests it’ll be a smart, character-driven take rather than a generic cape show.
The one thing to keep in mind: this is early-stage development, not a formal greenlight, and it surfaced buried in a report about other DC news, so temper the hype just a little. But the pieces here are genuinely promising: a scene-stealing character, a proven writer, and an actor fans already adore.
If DC plays this right, Mr. Terrific could go from Superman‘s best surprise to a standout show in his own right.
Fittingly for a hero named Terrific, the potential here is exactly that.
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Article compiled and edited by Derek Gibbs (entertainment editor) and the Clownfish TV newsroom.
Hat Tips:
The Hollywood Reporter (July 2026), the originating report, verified for the Mr. Terrific series being in active development at DC Studios with Allan Heinberg writing the pilot, revealed within THR’s reporting on Supergirl’s box-office performance and DC’s upcoming slate
ComicBook.com and Murphy’s Multiverse (July 2026), verified for Allan Heinberg’s credentials (The Sandman showrunner, the 2017 Wonder Woman screenplay, creator of Marvel’s Young Avengers, DC comic runs), the character-first prestige-drama expectations, and the framing of the series as a response to Gathegi’s Superman breakout
Variety and Wikipedia (2025-2026), verified for Edi Gathegi’s multi-project DCU deal and his return as Mr. Terrific in Man of Tomorrow, the character’s comic origins (created 1997 by John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake, the third-smartest person in the DCU, the T-Spheres, the tragic backstory), and the DCU’s HBO Max TV strategy (Peacemaker, Lanterns, the Jimmy Olsen series)