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Possible Jimmy Olsen Gender Swap in 'Man of Steel'

There are often changes when adapting comics but will Jimmy now be a 'she'?

We've seen many changes when comic books get adapted for the big screen. Sometimes it's race such as when Michael Clarke Duncan was cast as Kingpin in Daredevil. You could even point out a red-headed Amy Adams cast as the traditionally brunette Lois Lane in Man of Steel. Now it looks like Lois' hair color isn't the only change that we might see in the film.

Digital Spy caught the possibility that Jimmy Olsen could be seeing a gender change for the movie.

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Where this comes from is on IMDB, Rebecca Buller is listed as playing Jenny Olsen. It could be easy to dismiss this as simply the possibility that we'll see Jimmy's sister on screen but there is an absence of an actor listed as playing Jimmy. There is also a scene in the trailer where Perry White is running from destruction along with Buller.

No Caption Provided

Watching the scene again, she's not carrying a camera around her neck but instead what appears to be an office badge of some sort. It's possible it could be a press badge. Why would Jimmy's sister be running from chaos with Perry unless she was either visiting the Daily Planet or working there.

Digital Spy also reports that Buller's role hasn't been confirmed by Warner Bros. and we know IMDB sometimes contains errors, especially in early production.

Does Jimmy Olsen's gender matter? It would add a possible different dynamic to being "Superman's Pal" and could also be competition for Lois. All we can do is wait to see what develops from this.

122 Comments

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Saren

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Edited By Saren

See, at first I thought DC was elevating Jimmy's position in the hierarchy of supporting characters after they hooked him up with Power Girl in the Ame-Comi verse. But then the Joker blew his brains out in IGAU and now he gets a sex change. I dunno what to think anymore.

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RedheadedAtrocitus

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So...we are having a redheaded Lois Lane and possibly a brunette female Olsen? Seems like the switch should be made the other way round then and have Adams play "Jenny Olsen" and have either this brunette or another play Lois to me. Oh well, nitpicking's what I do.

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Mia26

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Edited By Mia26

As a hardcore Superman fan .... I don't mind a girl version of Jimmy or a red head Lois Lane given that Jarvis was turned into a computer for the Iron Man movie and it worked pretty well. As long as the story and the overall movie turn out good am ok with it.

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sethysquare

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Edited By sethysquare

****. this. shit.

i cant believe they're making him a girl. that is bullshit

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queenfrost_

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Edited By queenfrost_

@Jonny_Anonymous said:

@queenfrost_ said:

anyone who questions this/hates on this is an idiot. go back 2 the oppressed 20th century. who cares, really? i only hope this isn't for a love triangle. cos after all, u can change a FICTIONAL character's gender without it being a plot device...right?

Really? So when we get a Wonder Woman movie it'll be totally ok to make her friend Eddie Candy then?

WTF!?!?!? Women have been oppressed for CENTURIES. Women have barely any positive exposure on TV and movies. Isn't there enough male characters/male-dominant storylines already? That is so ridiculous. Wow. Go search up 'reverse sexism' and get back to me. Ok?

@Lvenger said:

@queenfrost_ said:

anyone who questions this/hates on this is an idiot. go back 2 the oppressed 20th century. who cares, really? i only hope this isn't for a love triangle. cos after all, u can change a FICTIONAL character's gender without it being a plot device...right?

Really? So I'm an idiot then? It makes no sense to change the gender of an established member of Superman's supporting cast when he has plenty of female supporting characters already. Try coming up with a better argument and less downplaying of people who share my view.

HE IS FICITIONAL. HE ISN'T REAL. There is NO advantage to him being a male or female. It is just a character for Superman to save! And hello, SUPERMAN IS A MALE. ZOD IS A MALE. The two big people of the damn film are MEN and you are b*tching about a small role being turned in to a girl!?!?!?!? Get a grip, dumba*s. I bet you were butthurt when Percy was turned black too.

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Lvenger

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Edited By Lvenger

@queenfrost_ said:

@Jonny_Anonymous said:

@queenfrost_ said:

anyone who questions this/hates on this is an idiot. go back 2 the oppressed 20th century. who cares, really? i only hope this isn't for a love triangle. cos after all, u can change a FICTIONAL character's gender without it being a plot device...right?

Really? So when we get a Wonder Woman movie it'll be totally ok to make her friend Eddie Candy then?

WTF!?!?!? Women have been oppressed for CENTURIES. Women have barely any positive exposure on TV and movies. Isn't there enough male characters/male-dominant storylines already? That is so ridiculous. Wow. Go search up 'reverse sexism' and get back to me. Ok?

@Lvenger said:

@queenfrost_ said:

anyone who questions this/hates on this is an idiot. go back 2 the oppressed 20th century. who cares, really? i only hope this isn't for a love triangle. cos after all, u can change a FICTIONAL character's gender without it being a plot device...right?

Really? So I'm an idiot then? It makes no sense to change the gender of an established member of Superman's supporting cast when he has plenty of female supporting characters already. Try coming up with a better argument and less downplaying of people who share my view.

HE IS FICITIONAL. HE ISN'T REAL. There is NO advantage to him being a male or female. It is just a character for Superman to save! And hello, SUPERMAN IS A MALE. ZOD IS A MALE. The two big people of the damn film are MEN and you are b*tching about a small role being turned in to a girl!?!?!?!? Get a grip, dumba*s. I bet you were butthurt when Percy was turned black too.

It's just not fan service and is disrespectful to Superman fans when a long standing fictional character has a sex change for no pallatible reason. And pleae get off your high feminist horse about "woman being oppressed" and all that. It's just absurd given the fairer (not perfect though) society we live in. And flagged for rude, obnoxious behaviour. Learn some manners as well and try not to take after your AV.

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queenfrost_

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Edited By queenfrost_

@Lvenger: I'm done with this conversation. You need to wake up and smell the roses. You're a white cis male of course you're going to get everything you want. W/e. Bye.

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ARMIV2

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Edited By ARMIV2

...Why would they?

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Lvenger

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Edited By Lvenger

@queenfrost_: Good I don't like talking to conceited people like you. And flagged again for the baseless insult.

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Edited By Misterwizz

If any of this is true, it just reeks of stupidity on the part of the Goyer, Snyder, and Warner Brothers. It’s one thing if you think Jimmy’s a silly character; it’s another thing to change him into a girl. If you don’t get the character, don’t use him (doesn't matter how big his role is). IMO this is a huge slap in the face for Superman fans.

Also I wouldn’t mind the change as much if they actually end giving a solid reason for it. At this point I’m speculating the decision to do this went something like this, “Oh Jimmy’s clearly an outdated character, we need to update him for future generations, why don’t we turn him into a woman”.

And I don’t give a crap what anyone says. Jimmy Olsen IS an important character to the Superman Mythos and not a minor one.

Plus if they do nothing with the female Jenny Olsen (and she doesn't bring anything new to the table), it will make the change useless and unnecessary.

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charlieboy

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Edited By charlieboy

I don't like this idea at all. It just seems wrong to me.

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Jonny_Anonymous

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Edited By Jonny_Anonymous

@Lvenger said:

@queenfrost_ said:

@Jonny_Anonymous said:

@queenfrost_ said:

anyone who questions this/hates on this is an idiot. go back 2 the oppressed 20th century. who cares, really? i only hope this isn't for a love triangle. cos after all, u can change a FICTIONAL character's gender without it being a plot device...right?

Really? So when we get a Wonder Woman movie it'll be totally ok to make her friend Eddie Candy then?

WTF!?!?!? Women have been oppressed for CENTURIES. Women have barely any positive exposure on TV and movies. Isn't there enough male characters/male-dominant storylines already? That is so ridiculous. Wow. Go search up 'reverse sexism' and get back to me. Ok?

@Lvenger said:

@queenfrost_ said:

anyone who questions this/hates on this is an idiot. go back 2 the oppressed 20th century. who cares, really? i only hope this isn't for a love triangle. cos after all, u can change a FICTIONAL character's gender without it being a plot device...right?

Really? So I'm an idiot then? It makes no sense to change the gender of an established member of Superman's supporting cast when he has plenty of female supporting characters already. Try coming up with a better argument and less downplaying of people who share my view.

HE IS FICITIONAL. HE ISN'T REAL. There is NO advantage to him being a male or female. It is just a character for Superman to save! And hello, SUPERMAN IS A MALE. ZOD IS A MALE. The two big people of the damn film are MEN and you are b*tching about a small role being turned in to a girl!?!?!?!? Get a grip, dumba*s. I bet you were butthurt when Percy was turned black too.

It's just not fan service and is disrespectful to Superman fans when a long standing fictional character has a sex change for no pallatible reason. And pleae get off your high feminist horse about "woman being oppressed" and all that. It's just absurd given the fairer (not perfect though) society we live in. And flagged for rude, obnoxious behaviour. Learn some manners as well and try not to take after your AV.

also it's Perry not Percy

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Lvenger

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Edited By Lvenger

@Jonny_Anonymous: Nice correction. And I doubt there'll be any reasoning with this one. She doesn't seem to understand the actual problem being discussed and is spouting ridiculously biased points.

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ImmortalOne

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Edited By ImmortalOne

@queenfrost_ said:

anyone who questions this/hates on this is an idiot. go back 2 the oppressed 20th century. who cares, really? i only hope this isn't for a love triangle. cos after all, u can change a FICTIONAL character's gender without it being a plot device...right?

I suppose you want a movie where Batman's sidekick is Rachel Grayson? Or how about a Justice League film in which Darkseid is a woman?

It's not that I oppose this because I'm against women. It's because they'd just be tossing an important character with years and years of history out the window in replacement. If they want more females, just add more female characters. No sense in changing a key character in Superman's supporting cast.

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god_spawn

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Edited By god_spawn  Moderator

@Lvenger: @queenfrost_: If things get this heated, just walk, ok?

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mk111

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Edited By mk111

Maybe next, they should make Lana Lang a guy.

And Supergirl/Superboy can be the same person, by making them a crossdresser.

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Batnandez

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Edited By Batnandez

This happens so people cough cough liberals, black people and women don't throw hissy fits about how these movies don't have enough female representation, or black people blah blah blah. I don't really care, but it's still annoying sort of like heimdral in thor although i ended up liking that character in the movie, who knows maybe Jenny will be a better choice.

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FoxxFireArt

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Edited By FoxxFireArt
@queenfrost_
Agreed. Switching Olsen's gender is fine if they just want to add some variety. Just hope it wasn't for a lame love triangle.
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Jonny_Anonymous

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Edited By Jonny_Anonymous

This has put a complete downer on the movie for me, I'm not even exited anymore. It went from the top of the list to not even on it.

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lady_toyano

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Edited By lady_toyano

Why cant they just be pals then. why she have to be a love interest? Jeezus u can be pals without the sex stuff ugh.

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Edited By Herx

umm, ok my knowledge of the cast of characters in the superman books isn't as diverse as others, but i was under the impression that the books did have a number of female characters who worked at the daily planet and who were looking from Clarks attention? Correct me if im wrong please, but if this IS whats happening to Jimmy and it is for diversity reasons than i can't back it as there are other characters out there that they could have used. But really this is just head scratching.

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Edited By Picard

This is stupidest thing I' ve ever seen! What's next Catwoman as a dude? I don't know why they are doing this. You know in my country - Poland - we have this SF comedy called "Sexmision", It's about two guys who undergo hibernation and they are bring back to life after III world war, world when man are extinct and woman are in power. Our two protagonists come before court. They try to defend man by trying to list few great man scientist: what about Copernicus, Einstein? Judges: Lies! Copernicus was a woman! Einstein also was a woman! ;) Apparently this same can be said about Jimmy Olsen. ;) Stupid Hollywood...