Does Superman have the perfect Jimmy Olsen? Skyler Gisondo gives his thoughts on being cast in the first DC Universe film as Superman’s Pal.
The DC Universe is full of pitch-perfect castings. John Cena as Peacemaker, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific. However, there’s perhaps no actor that physically fits the bill of their character more than Skyler Gisondo, who is playing Jimmy Olsen in the upcoming Superman film. The actor was on fans’ radar for years before he was officially cast, making it a dream come true when new finally hit the net.
And it seems those calls from fans weren’t lost on Skyler Gisondo. When speaking about his experience filming Superman on the DC Studios Showcase podcast, he was actively shown people petitioning for him to play Jimmy Olsen while he was being cast in Superman. And when auditions finally came to a close, even the architect of the DC Universe himself James Gunn knew there was only one actor who could play Turtle Boy himself.
“I don’t know, hopefully something good, I haven’t seen it yet. I brought my best. I brought my very best effort, and I hope it sufficed- but it was one of those cases where people were showing me during the casting process, people online were like, ‘Skyler should be Jimmy’ because of the freckles, and I kind of look like him.”
And so, it was one of those incredibly rare instances where it was lining up in this incredible way. And James said from the very beginning, he was like, ‘You’re Jimmy, you’re it.'”
What Is Jimmy Olsen’s Role In Superman?
While Superman is certainly set to harken back to the classic feeling of the comics, it’s been clear that the DC Universe is also charting its own course in being a distinct take on the characters. This has left many wondering where Jimmy Olsen will find himself during the events of the film, especially given how different some incarnations of the character have been. When speaking about Jimmy Olsen’s place as the Daily Planet, Skyler Gisondo made sure to emphasize the journalistic hunger that sits at the character’s core in many comics.
“He’s in a good spot. I think he’s a little bit hungry for more. He’s kind of a photojournalist and I think he also wants to be involved more in the writing component, as well.”
“He cares a lot about the stories. But for a young guy at The Daily Planet, he’s climbing the corporate ladder, I think he’s doing pretty well.”
Oftentimes in adaptations of the DC Universe, Jimmy Olsen is chained to the hip with Superman and its stories. It seems that, while Skyler Gisondo will certainly share quite a bit of screentime with his other half, Jimmy has his own goals and ambitions within the cast of the Daily Planet. Let’s just hope that drive doesn’t drive him directly into some trouble!
Superman is currently scheduled to hit theaters on July 11, 2025. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the DC Universe and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!
