Late yesterday afternoon, some very surprising news hit the web in regards to Zack Snyder's Justice League: Part One. With Batman v. Superman now only a few weeks away, several details from the film have been making their way online. One such detail is the mention of the famous Batman ally Commissioner Gordon being mentioned in the film, despite not making an appearance. Well now we know who will be portraying the Gotham commissioner in future DC films, and it's none other than Spider-Man's former boss J. Jonah Jameson himself: J.K. Simmons.
Simmons comes as a surprising choice because of just that, his iconic portrayal of the Marvel character. Simmons' portrayal of Jameson in the original Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy has been a fan favorite, and has even been heralded as one of the most accurate casting choices of any comic book movie. Simmons has expressed interest in returning as the character in the past, first for The Amazing Spider-Man series, and most recently for the Marvel Studios' reboot. It seems that option may be out the window now though, with the actor taking his talents to rival company DC.
As I stated early, there have been several rumors about Jim Gordon's character in the upcoming Batman v. Superman film and whether he would be making an appearance. Gary Oldman's version of the character served a very pivotal role in The Dark Knight trilogy, but it was unknown if this new incarnation of the character would be as vital. There had also been rumors that Jim Gordon's daughter Barbara Gordon would be played by Jena Malone in Batman v. Superman, but those rumors have since been denied by director Zack Snyder (As well as her character being cut from the movie).
Regardless of the fact that we won't be seeing the character until Justice League: Part One, the casting of Simmons is overall a very exciting addition for the DC film universe. Simmons is a very talented actor who recently one an Oscar for his intense performance in the film Whiplash, and is an impressive and proven actor for the DC film universe to bring on board. It'll be interesting to see how the character fits into the story of the Justice League film, and whether he will be returning for the proposed Batman solo film to be directed by Ben Affleck.
So what do you think of J.K. Simmons playing Commissioner Gordon? Are you excited to see him in the role, or would you have preferred he return as J. Jonah Jameson? Let us know below!
