James Gunn's rebooted DCU will feature a new Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Batman v Superman was poorly received, in large part because the second entry in the Snyderverse was a far cry from the beloved comic characters. While the film has many flaws, one of the biggest was how it handled a major DC character - but this problem can finally be fixed in the Superman prequel.
Since its 2013 start with Man of Steel, the DCU has been in trouble, with the franchise hurting from inconsistent quality, poor box office returns, and a lack of a coherent vision. While the franchise's more recent projects have fared better critically, they haven't really been building up to anything. However, now that James Gunn is heading DC Studios, everything seems to be turning around. One of Gunn's earliest and biggest announcements was that Henry Cavill would no longer be playing Superman, with James Gunn writing a script for a Superman movie focusing on a younger Clark Kent - meaning a whole new take on Metropolis and its inhabitants.
The Superman Prequel Can Fix Jimmy Olsen In The DCU
One of the biggest sins in Batman v Superman was its handling of reporter Jimmy Olsen. Jimmy Olsen appears in one brief scene alongside Lois Lane before being killed off with little indication that the character was Jimmy Olsen at all. In the comics, Jimmy Olsen is a major character, being the most well-known Daily Planet employee behind Clark Kent and Lois Lane. Giving the character such a small role in Batman v Superman only to kill him off was a massive disservice. However, the Superman movie has a chance to bring back Olsen and give him more to do.
Man of Steel's canon status isn't yet known in the rebooted DCU, but with the Superman film set to focus on a younger version of Clark, it presumably takes place before Jimmy Olsen's death. The Superman prequel could finally give Jimmy Olsen some time to shine, with the photojournalist working alongside Clark and Lois at the Daily Planet. Even though Batman v Superman wasted the character, the Superman prequel could give Jimmy Olsen the character development he deserves, retroactively making his death more impactful and making up for his poor handling in the DCU.
Why Batman v Superman Killed Off Jimmy Olsen So Early
Zack Snyder's Jimmy Olsen death may have seemed like a waste initially, but the director actually had a reason for it. Batman v Superman's Jimmy Olsen was a different take on the character, with Olsen being a CIA agent that accompanies Lois Lane on a mission in the Republic of Nairomi. Director Zack Snyder explained Jimmy Olsen's death, cryptically saying, "If this was a TV show, I would say for sure we’d bring Jimmy back." Snyder also described Jimmy's story as "a five-movie arc," meaning that he had plans for the character in the future before the cancellation of the Snyderverse.
The New DCU Needs To Give The Daily Planet More Screentime
The DCU didn't just waste Jimmy Olsen - it wasted The Daily Planet as a whole. The Daily Planet is essential to the Superman franchise, with many of its biggest characters working there. Even the Richard Donner Superman movies spend a lot of time at the newspaper office, something that the DCU barely focused on. Characters like Jimmy Olsen, Perry White, and even Lois Lane were sidelined due to the DCU's refusal to focus on Clark Kent's workplace, The Daily Planet.
The DCU's Superman reboot should fix this issue by making The Daily Planet a key part of the film. Superman is an incredibly powerful hero, and in order for audiences to relate to him, his human side has to be shown. The best place to show this is at The Daily Planet, with Clark Kent attempting to find ways to help the world without using his powers. Giving The Daily Planet more screentime will allow Metropolis and its inhabitants to become more fleshed out, giving the DCU's Superman movie a new perspective that the cinematic universe hasn't shown before.
