Superman Legacy: James Gunn's DC Universe Will Feature Clark Kent's Iconic Sidekick

In "Superman" history, Jimmy Olsen is as much of a cornerstone character as Lois Lane or Lex Luthor. Finding himself in danger on a regular basis, covering Metropolis' local hero, and being saved by him just as many times, Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen really is someone Supes can't be without. Thank Krypton, then, that after @Guardians_Hype asked co-DCU head and "Superman: Legacy" director James Gunn on X, formerly known as Twitter, about Jimmy Olsen's role in the reboot, Gunn confirmed the character will appear. In the since-deleted tweet (via Reddit), the fan asked, "Will Jimmy Olsen be in the movie?" Gunn replied with a direct and to-the-point "ofc." Well, that clears that up, then.

Originally debuting outside the comics, Jimmy Olsen was a character created on "The Adventures of Superman" radio serial in 1940 before transitioning into comic books the following year. He even eventually went on to get his own comic book series — "Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen" — in 1954 and has remained a solid ally to Kal-El ever since. What remains to be seen is how integral Jimmy will be in the upcoming movie, which sees David Corenswet don the iconic red and blue outfit.

While details are pretty slim on just what kind of hero we'll be meeting in "Superman: Legacy," the fact the likes of Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), Guy Gardner's Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), and Mister Terrific (Edit Gathegi) are well into their world-saving career suggests Clark has been in action for a bit as well. If that's the case, it might be safe to say that he and Jimmy are best pals at this point. It'd be a refreshing direction to take Kal-El, given that even as far back as Christopher Reeve's time as Superman, he and Jimmy (then played by Marc McClure) weren't that close. In comparison to the recent "Spider-Man" movies, perhaps Jimmy could be the Ned to Clark's Peter — when Superman's not off saving Lois Lane or the rest of the world, that is.

Currently, no names are linked to the role, but there's plenty of time to fill the slot. Here's hoping it's someone who matches the young photographer's plucky and positive energy — even when the planet is on the brink of destruction. James Gunn has demonstrated a keen eye for casting throughout his career, so odds are he'll find the best choice for the new Jimmy Olsen.