From Forgotten to Fantastic: Edi Gathegi’s Superman Role Rights a Superhero Wrong

LOS ANGELES, CA — For Edi Gathegi, Superman isn’t just another superhero movie—it’s redemption.

The actor, best known in comic book circles for his brief and controversial appearance as Darwin in X-Men: First Class, has emerged as one of the breakout stars of James Gunn’s Superman reboot, stealing scenes as the genius-level hero Mister Terrific. But for Gathegi, the role goes deeper than costumes and special effects—it’s a chance to finally live up to the promise that was broken 16 years ago.

In 2009, Gathegi was cast as Darwin, a powerful mutant with adaptive abilities. But even before he accepted the part, he voiced concerns to his agents about a frustrating trope: Darwin was not only one of the few Black characters in the film—he was also killed off halfway through. At the time, producers promised Gathegi that Darwin’s death would be temporary and that his character would return, as he does in the comics. That return never happened.

“They assured us it was essential for the story and that I’d be back,” Gathegi told The Hollywood Reporter ahead of Superman’s July 11 release. “But when I wasn’t in X-Men: Apocalypse, I knew the door had closed.”

Then came a second chance. In 2023, Gathegi’s agents encouraged him to submit an audition for Mister Terrific—a tech-savvy superhero and one of the smartest minds in the DC Universe. Initially, Gathegi passed, having just landed a television project alongside Robert De Niro and planning a European vacation. But a personal nudge from Superman director and DC Studios co-head James Gunn changed everything.

Gunn, it turned out, had seen over 200 actors for the role—and still hadn’t found his Mister Terrific. Gathegi recalled a compliment Gunn had paid him on the red carpet for The Suicide Squad in 2021, and decided to give the audition a shot. He recorded a self-tape the night before flying out of the country. Hours later, while heading to LAX, he received a direct message from Gunn praising his performance.

That DM would turn out to be the beginning of a major superhero comeback.

Gathegi’s portrayal of Mister Terrific is already being called a highlight of Superman, thanks to his cool presence, sharp intellect, and layered performance as Michael Holt, a Black hero defined by brilliance—not sacrifice.

“This time, the message is different,” Gathegi said. “With X-Men, I learned that being the most powerful mutant meant nothing if you’re not allowed to reach your full potential. With Superman, I’ve been given the space to thrive. You can be one of the most intelligent characters in the universe, and help save the world.”

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Edi Gathegi’s Superman arc isn’t just cinematic—it’s symbolic. In an industry still learning how to evolve beyond shallow tokenism, Gathegi’s Mister Terrific shows what happens when Black characters are written with purpose, power, and permanence. His rise from being the “Black guy killed first” in X-Men to a respected, brainy badass in Superman isn’t just a casting win—it’s a cultural course correction. And audiences are here for it.