J.K. Simmons recently sent the internet into overdrive with his workout photos. The 61-year-old actor put some young stars to shame with his biceps. That seems to be a personal choice, rather than a requirement for his role in Justice League as Commissioner Jim Gordon. While it is unlikely that we’ll see a ripped Gordon, it sounds like he’ll be getting stuck in the action.
Simmons recently sat down with EW to run through the incredible list of projects he’s attached to. During the interview his role as Gordon was brought up, and the Oscar-winner gave insight into his take on the character. While he’s still got more filming to do for DC’s big crossover, he called it a “fun experience,” so far. He also expressed a desire to return to the role in the future, which seems very likely.
The Whiplash star then went on to talk about his experience with Gordon, and how his version of the commissioner can take care of himself:
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!’
This sounds like a new direction for the character, which had to be done. After Gary Oldman stole the show throughout the Dark Knight trilogy, Zack Snyder needed to go another way. After seeing Simmons’ workout photos we have no doubt that Gordon could scare criminals even without partnering with the Batman.
We’ll get our first look at Simmons as Gordon when Justice League hits theatres on November 17, 2017. Expect an even larger role for Simmons in Ben Affleck’s Batman film, which is yet to get a release date.
