Henry Thomas to play Dr. Mid-Nite in DC Universe’s Stargirl

The cast of DC Universe's upcoming Stargirl series continues to grow as Entertainment Weekly has reported that Henry Thomas (The Haunting of Hill House) has joined up to play Dr. Mid-Nite in what will be a recurring role.

Known as Dr. Charles McNider, the character was a founding member of the Justice Society of America as well as a brilliant and forward-thinking medical pioneer. After being blinded in an explosion, Dr. McNider discovered that he could still see in total darkness and developed a special visor which would allow him to see in the light as well. Armed with blackout bombs capable of blocking out all light (plus his pet owl), Dr. McNider becomes Dr. Mid-Nite and fights crime. In addition to Henry Thomas as Dr. Mid-Nite, Stargirl will also feature Joel McHale as Starman, Lou Ferrigno Jr. as Hourman, Brian Stapf as Wildcat, and, of course, Brec Bassinger in the title role of Courtney Whitmore aka Stargirl.

Executive produced by Geoff Johns, who will also be penning the first episode, Stargirl will be centered on Courtney Whitmore, a struggling high-school teenager who moves to Blue Valley, Nebraska from Los Angeles when her mother gets remarried. Soon after, Courtney discovers that her new stepfather used to be Stripesy, sidekick to Starman (Mchale), and uses his old Cosmic Staff to become Stargirl and become the inspiration for a new generation of superheroes. Geoff Johns and Lee Moder created Stargirl, who first appeared in Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. #1 in 1999, and based the character on Johns' sister, Courtney, who died in the explosion of TWA Flight 800 in 1996. Johns stepped down from his role as DC's chief creative officer earlier this year and said that he wouldn't have been able to have developed the Stargirl series if he still held that position."It’s so personal for me, and to create and run my show … this is the kind of opportunity that I’ve couldn’t have had if I had stayed in that role," Johns said. "This is based on my sister. The character is fun and optimistic. It's about bringing back the legacy of the Justice Society." Stargirl is expected to debut on DC Universe late next year.