The Batgirl movie's Jim Gordon is getting a more significant role than he previously did in the Justice League movie. First introduced in Justice League, Jim Gordon, played by J.K Simmons, had a relatively minor role in the film alongside the ensemble cast. Now with Simmons returning as Gordon, it seems his role alongside Leslie Grace in Batgirl will play a significant part in the film's story.
Before Simmons' return as Jim Gordon, Batgirl had been in a developmental hiatus since its announcement in 2016. Initially, Batgirl was going to be written and directed by Joss Whedon. But Whedon, who famously took over production on 2017's Justice League from director Zack Snyder, left the project in 2018 and was replaced by writer Christina Hodson and directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. With the development of a new script and the casting of Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl, it was only a matter of time before casting Jim Gordon.
Simmons, speaking with Josh Horowitz of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, reveals that his version of Gordon is returning for a more "significant role" in the upcoming Batgirl film. While he couldn't go into the details of the script or plot of the film, Simmons teased an "interesting take" on Batgirl and that his Jim Gordon has more to do in this film than in Justice League.
"I thought [the script] was a really interesting take on introducing Batgirl, and giving Jim Gordon–fleshing him out, certainly more than I had a chance to do in my first foray into that."
Simmons had initially been contracted for three films when he signed on for Justice League. Simmons' appearance as Jim Gordon came across more like a glorified cameo with the role being drastically cut down. It wasn't until the release of Zack Snyder's Justice League in 2021 that fans were treated to more of Simmons' portrayal of Gordon. However, even with the four-hour extended cut, Simmons' screen time as Gordon was relatively limited. Whether the script will address Gordon's connection to the events of Justice League or not, Simmons is determined to leave his mark on a character that has long been tied to Batgirl, Batman, and Gotham alike.
The character of Commissioner Jim Gordon has been an iconic staple of the Batman mythos in comics, TV, and film since the character's initial inception in 1939. Though there have been various adaptations of Gordon and Batgirl in a wide array of media, the relationship between Jim Gordon and his daughter Barbara has never been depicted on the big screen. And while numerous comic book storylines could be adapted or influence the plot of Batgirl, it remains to be seen how Simmons' role as Gordon will impact the character of Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in the upcoming movie.
Source: Happy Sad Confused
