Superman writer-director James Gunn recently shared the first official look at Skyler Gisondo‘s Jimmy Olsen in the DC Universe movie to celebrate the anniversary of the character’s comic book debut.
Who is Superman’s pal, Jimmy Olsen?
While an unnamed “office boy” who appeared in Action Comics #6 is considered by many to be Jimmy Olsen’s first appearance in DC comics, the character’s official debut was in 1941’s Superman #13. Created by Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and Bob Maxwell, Jimmy Olsen is a young photojournalist who works at the Daily Planet, aiding his co-workers Lois Lane and Clark Kent on their assignments.
After being largely absent in the DC Extended Universe, save for a cameo in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Jimmy Olsen is seemingly set to play a big role in the DCU, beginning with Superman, where Gisondo will play him. On Sunday, Aug. 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 pal, Jimmy Olsen, who debuted on this day in 1941 (although he did appear 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 featuring Gisondo in costume as the character, complete with comic-accurate red hair and boyish grin. “I 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 Reeve’s Superman movies), Sam Huntington (Superman Returns), and Michael Cassidy (Batman v Superman) as the newest big-screen iteration of Jimmy Olsen. Other actors who have portrayed the character in live-action include Tommy Bond in the Superman film serials, 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, with Douglas Smith set to make his debut as Jimmy Olsen in the fourth and final season of The CW’s Superman & Lois.
Superman is scheduled to hit theaters on July 11, 2025, as the first film in the DCU.
