Zack Snyder explains his plans for Jimmy Olsen in the DC Cinematic Universe

March 25th 2016, 6:11pm

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

Fans have been wondering when and how Jimmy Olsen might show up in the DC Cinematic Universe since MAN OF STEEL was in the works. If you remember, there were rumors that Jimmy Olsen would show up in that movie as a female for awhile, but, in the end, Rebecca Buller's character turned out to be Jenny Urwich, not Jenny Olsen, and the popular photographer still remained at-large.

Then, of course, there was wonder if Olsen would show up at some point in BATMAN V SUPERMAN, with even speculation that Scoot McNairy's role could end up being it when all was said and done. McNairy serves a different purpose in the film, so obviously that is not the case.

However, there are plans for Jimmy Olsen in the DC Cinematic Universe that Zack Snyder has now explained, but, in order for me to get into them with you, I have to issue a stern SPOILER WARNING and let you know that I'm going to get into some very detailed events of BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE. Therefore, if you want to remain fresh, now is the time to avert your eyes until after you've seen the film.

Okay… Everyone here who still wants to be here?? Then let's proceed.

For those of you who may not have been aware while watching the film, Jimmy Olsen actually is in BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE. He's not referenced by name on-screen but, if you take a gander at the film's credits, you'll find a Jimmy Olsen listed, as played by Michael Cassidy.

But where does he show up?

Well, when Lois Lane travels to Africa to interview a dangerous warlord, she is accompanied by a photographer who, by the end of the sequence, is revealed to be an undercover CIA operative. He reveals that Lane didn't know his true identity and, for his confession, he is executed with a bullet to the head. That character is Jimmy Olsen.

Now you might ask yourself "Why would this be the beginning and end of Jimmy Olsen?" I'll let Zack Snyder tell you.

We just did it as this little aside because we had been tracking where we thought the movies were gonna go, and we don’t have room for Jimmy Olsen in our big pantheon of characters, but we can have fun with him, right?

For anyone who isn't a fan of BATMAN V SUPERMAN or Snyder directing it, this is only going to serve as more ammunition for your position. After all, what exactly is fun about killing Jimmy Olsen in front of Lois Lane? And why just waste the character so meaninglessly because he doesn't have a bigger role to play as the DCU expands? Isn't no Jimmy Olsen better than this Jimmy Olsen?

But Snyder had an entire idea around the death, which was to serve as some sort of PSYCHO-style moment where a more known actor in the part would have gotten whacked, designed to throw the audience into disarray. The actor he originally wanted was Jesse Eisenberg.

I thought, if it were Jesse Eisenberg and he got out and he goes, ‘I’m Jimmy Olsen,’ you’d be like, oh my God, we’re gonna have Jimmy Olsen in the whole movie, right?’ And then if he got shot, you’d just be like, ‘What!? You can’t do that.’

Ummm… You can do whatever you want in a movie, man. It's your movie. Should you though? I don't really think so, and, for all the negativity the film is generating at the moment, I don't know that this is going to add any much needed goodwill to the process either. It seems like such a callous death for no real purpose whatsoever and is sure to add much more fuel to the fire that is already raging on.