Superman Screenwriter and director James Gunn recently gave the first official insight into Skyler Gisondos Jimmy Olsen in the DC Universe film celebrating the anniversary of the character’s comic book debut.
Who is Superman’s sidekick Jimmy Olsen?
While many believe Jimmy Olsen’s first appearance in DC Comics was as an unnamed “office boy” who appeared in Action Comics #6, the character made his official debut in 1941 in Superman #13. Created by Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and Bob Maxwell, Jimmy Olsen is a young photojournalist who works at the Daily Planet and helps his colleagues Lois Lane and Clark Kent with their assignments.
After being largely absent from the DC Extended Universe except for a cameo in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Jimmy Olsen will apparently play a major role in the DCU, starting with Superman, where Gisondo will play him. On Sunday, August 25, Gunn shared the first official look at Gisondo’s Jimmy Olsen on his social media pages to celebrate the character’s anniversary.
“Happy anniversary to Superman’s sidekick Jimmy Olsen, who debuted on this day in 1941 (though he appeared earlier as ‘office boy’ in Action Comics 6),” Gunn captioned the posts, which include various comic book panels of Jimmy Olsen as well as a behind-the-scenes still with Gisondo in costume as the character, complete with comic-accurate red hair and boyish grin. “Can’t wait for you to see (Skyler Gisondo’s) portrayal in Superman on July 11, 2025,” the caption added.
Gisondo will succeed Marc McClure (Christopher Reeves’ Superman films), Sam Huntington (Superman Returns) and Michael Cassidy (Batman v Superman) as the latest big-screen version of Jimmy Olsen. Other actors who have portrayed the character in live-action films include Tommy Bond in the Superman film series, Jack Larson in Adventures of Superman, Michael Landes and Justin Whalin in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Aaron Ashmore in Smallville and Mehcad Brookes in Supergirl. Douglas Smith will make his debut as Jimmy Olsen in the fourth and final season of The CW’s Superman & Lois.
Superman is scheduled to be the first DCU film to hit theaters on July 11, 2025.
