Superman's Pal, Jenny Olsen

[deanospimoni]

So, interesting thing about the credits [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0770828/fullcredits#cast] for Man of Steel. Jimmy Olsen is not a character that is listed in the film's credits, but Jenny Olsen, as played by Rebecca Buller is. Thoughts?

Personally, I could care less. Jimmy has almost always been a rather minor character to begin with. It's a little weird, but meh.

 

[Lionsfan]

That's bullshit. Where are such classic moments like this:

I demand Jimmy Olson be put into the story!

 

[DudeistBelieve]

Actually... Pretty decent, Superman gets a gal-pal not lois lane. I like this.

I actually imagine Supes would get along better with women for some reason. I imagine to many guys would feel insecure around him to want to be his friend. He's lonely, wants a place to vent his emotions... which he has to through words because he can't go out looking for a fight.

Hell, Batman is the closest thing he has to a superfriend, and he works on ways to murder him "just in case."

 

[Hero in a half shell]

Jenny Olsen?!?

I... I really don't see the point in that, why take a dude in the original story and turn him into a female character, there are plenty of other regular female characters, now I'll most likely spend any scenes with "Jenny" distracted by the way it should really be a dude.

Also there's an A-10 and F35 pilot. Cool.

 

[Vault101]

contrived love interest mabye?

Actually... Pretty decent, Superman gets a gal-pal not lois lane. I like this.

I actually imagine Supes would get along better with women for some reason. I imagine to many guys would feel insecure around him to want to be his friend. He's lonely, wants a place to vent his emotions... which he has to through words because he can't go out looking for a fight.

Hell, Batman is the closest thing he has to a superfriend, and he works on ways to murder him "just in case."

this is hollywood

its love or nothing (or death)

 

[DudeistBelieve]

contrived love interest mabye?

Actually... Pretty decent, Superman gets a gal-pal not lois lane. I like this.

I actually imagine Supes would get along better with women for some reason. I imagine to many guys would feel insecure around him to want to be his friend. He's lonely, wants a place to vent his emotions... which he has to through words because he can't go out looking for a fight.

Hell, Batman is the closest thing he has to a superfriend, and he works on ways to murder him "just in case."

this is hollywood

its love or nothing (or death)

So very true...

Part of me doubts that though. I really don't think the american public at large would stand for anyone other than Lois Lane being Superman's girl.

And with any luck, we'll get tough as nails, hard hitting reporter, Lois Lane that we grew up with in the animate series.

 

[Basement Cat]

Of course Jimmy Olsen was created back in the 1930's when blatant hero worship was a part of the culture so it made sense to have a John Doe junior nobody to gaze in AWE at Superman.

It's becoming increasingly apparent that the new Superman movie isn't just 'changing a few things'. I'd like for it to turn out better than the original (but still cool) origin. It's a given that fanboys will tear into it, no matter what, but I'll watch it with an open mind and optimistic heart.

 

[Eleuthera]

I'm curious what they're going to do with that. At least in the comics Jimmy didn't have a sister (or any siblings for that matter), and I'm blanking on remembering Mrs.Olsen's christian name. I hope it's not just a genderswap for the hell of it.

EDIT: I'm also curious about this:

Dave LeBlanc - Dock Worker (uncredited)

That will have to be Bibbo, right? Right?!

 

[deanospimoni]

Should have trademarked the title to this thread, for when Movie Bob inevitably makes a Big Picture or Intermission about this, calling this "progressive" or "empowering". Then I can get those internet celebrity dollars everyone is clamoring for. LOL

 

[Blunderboy]

Should have trademarked the title to this thread, for when Movie Bob inevitably makes a Big Picture or Intermission about this, calling this "progressive" or "empowering". Then I can get those internet celebrity dollars everyone is clamoring for. LOL

I'm not getting the use of the quote marks, seeing as it's both of those things.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Should have trademarked the title to this thread, for when Movie Bob inevitably makes a Big Picture or Intermission about this, calling this "progressive" or "empowering". Then I can get those internet celebrity dollars everyone is clamoring for. LOL

I'm not getting the use of the quote marks, seeing as it's both of those things.

Yes, changing the sex of a fictional character to appeal to a bigger demographic at the box office is very progressive and empowering. The sexual revolution has nothing on Hollywood.

 

[Thunderous Cacophony]

Jenny Olsen?!?

I... I really don't see the point in that, why take a dude in the original story and turn him into a female character, there are plenty of other regular female characters, now I'll most likely spend any scenes with "Jenny" distracted by the way it should really be a dude.

Also there's an A-10 and F35 pilot. Cool.

I'm not fully caught up on the mythos, but Superman's background (and that of most comic characters) is chock-full of white males, even a lot of the aliens. It costs nothing to introduce a little diversity (for example, Lawrence Fishburne is playing the editor of the Daily Planet) but it means a lot to those of us who are tired of seeing no one like us on the big screen.

 

[deanospimoni]

Should have trademarked the title to this thread, for when Movie Bob inevitably makes a Big Picture or Intermission about this, calling this "progressive" or "empowering". Then I can get those internet celebrity dollars everyone is clamoring for. LOL

I'm not getting the use of the quote marks, seeing as it's both of those things.

Yes, changing the sex of a fictional character to appeal to a bigger demographic at the box office is very progressive and empowering. The sexual revolution has nothing on Hollywood.

I am merely speculating. I have not seen the movie in question, and perhaps this decision will improve the film. However, there is no reason to change anything unless it contributes something positive to the narrative. Having a secondary (and probably unimportant) character's gender flipped seems rather arbitrary.

Also, Laurence Fishburne is a fine actor who will probably do a fine job with the role of Perry White. Rebecca Buller is a relatively new actress whose only notable role is a single appearance on a failed NBC show about the Playboy Club. Chances are she will be there to look pretty. That's why I used the quotation marks.

 

[SonicWaffle]

I'm not fully caught up on the mythos, but Superman's background (and that of most comic characters) is chock-full of white males, even a lot of the aliens. It costs nothing to introduce a little diversity (for example, Lawrence Fishburne is playing the editor of the Daily Planet) but it means a lot to those of us who are tired of seeing no one like us on the big screen.

He's playing Perry White? Oh. I see what they did there.

Not that I approve of it - for me, the only Perry is Lane Smith [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0809031/].

OT: I don't really like this. It seems more like a way to have a rival for Lois in the picture than as a way to be all "hey, look, more vaginas! Can't you just smell the diversity?!"

Espcially if the keep Jimmy's hero-worship of Superman. Gender-inverted, it'll look more like a creepy crush.

 

[Thunderous Cacophony]

I'm not fully caught up on the mythos, but Superman's background (and that of most comic characters) is chock-full of white males, even a lot of the aliens. It costs nothing to introduce a little diversity (for example, Lawrence Fishburne is playing the editor of the Daily Planet) but it means a lot to those of us who are tired of seeing no one like us on the big screen.

He's playing Perry White? Oh. I see what they did there.

Not that I approve of it - for me, the only Perry is Lane Smith [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0809031/].

OT: I don't really like this. It seems more like a way to have a rival for Lois in the picture than as a way to be all "hey, look, more vaginas! Can't you just smell the diversity?!"

Espcially if the keep Jimmy's hero-worship of Superman. Gender-inverted, it'll look more like a creepy crush.

Lane Smith was great in the role, but he is currently... indisposed. I think Fishburne will fill the shoes pretty well.

As for Jimmy's hero-worship? That could get a little creepy, especially when Sucker Punch showed Zack Snyder isn't great at having women appear disempowered while actually empowering them. Lois and Jenny may have a jealousy subplot, but then again they may not. And could Jimmy Olsen really be any less creepy? [http://www.misterkitty.org/extras/stupidcovers/stupidcomics55.html]