When we think of Batman’s corner of the DC Universe and the many supporting characters who inhabit it, it’s impossible to not have Commissioner Jim Gordon spring to mind. Not only has he been a part of nearly live action and animated Batman offering on film, but the stalwart cop has been around as long as Batman himself, first appearing in 1939’s Detective Comics #27. So, it is only fitting that a new actor, in this case the talented J.K. Simmons, carry the torch in the latest continuity of films, with his first appearance being in Justice League.
Although Simmons has already filmed some scenes for DC’s premier superhero team’s debut on the silver screen, he’s apparently not quite finished and will soon head back to London to shoot a bit more. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, here’s what he had to say about his time working on the project:
“[It’s] been a fun experience, and knock wood, if it continues, then I’ll hopefully get to play Commissioner Gordon in a handful of movies.”
Quite frankly, I can’t imagine such an accomplished actor not doing the character justice, so it’s probably safe to assume he will reprise his role in Ben Affleck’s upcoming solo Batman movie, whatever it may be called. Just don’t expect him to be a Jim Gordon who is content to sit on his hands.
“People of my generation remember Commissioner Gordon as this jolly, ineffectual Santa Claus type, and I think over the years in the comics there’s definitely much more of a badass side to him. One of the things that’s interesting to me is investigating hopefully a little bit more of that badass [side]…You’re living in a universe where it’s pretty tough to be a badass compared to somebody like Batman, but in the universe of non-superheroes I like the idea of Commissioner Gordon as a guy that can take care of himself, a guy that’s a real partner to Batman, not just a guy that turns on the bat signal and goes, ‘Help! Help, Batman!’”
That’s definitely the kind of Gordon I would like to see. He is right because some people might view the character as he was in the 1960’s TV show and, honestly, Gordon wasn’t much more proactive in the Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher directed series of films. The Dark Knight Trilogy brought a real sense of competence to the character, one that I think will similarly be captured in Justice League and beyond. I just wouldn’t expect to see the Jim Gordon who donned a mech suit and became Batman for a time in Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s recent comic book arc known as Superheavy.
Justice League opens in theaters on November 17th, 2017.