Batgirl Set Photos Reveal First Look at JK Simmons' Gordon Return

By Jenna Anderson

Filming is continuing on DC's Batgirl movie, which is poised to finally bring the solo story of Barbara Gordon / Batgirl (Leslie Grace) to life onscreen. The upcoming HBO Max-exclusive film features a surprising supporting cast, including J.K. Simmons as Commissioner James Gordon. While Simmons already briefly portrayed the character in both Justice League and Zack Snyder's Justice League, the confirmation that he was returning for Batgirl definitely pleasantly surprised fans. A new set of photos from the film's production have made their way online, which show Simmons in costume as Gordon, complete with his red mustache and hair. Some fans have also speculated that the photos could be from filming a flashback sequence, and that two of the people standing next to him could be playing a younger version of Barbara and her mother.

"I was as surprised as I was when [Marvel] came back to ask me to do [Jameson] that they were coming to me to play Batgirl's father, Commissioner Gordon again, in this new version of the universe," Simmons shared of returning to the role in an interview late last year. "We've already had lots of discussions about the script and how to play everything." 

"I'm excited by the cast and the directors and ... looking forward to diving back into the DC multiverse," Simmons added.

Batgirl is directed by Bad Boys for Life's Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi, with a script written by Christina Hodson, whose work includes Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) and the upcoming The Flash movie. The film is expected to also see Michael Keaton reprising his role as Bruce Wayne / Batman, Brendan Fraser joining the cast as Firefly, Ivory Aquino as Alysia Yeoh, and Jacob Scipio, Rebecca Front, Corey Johnson, and Ethan Kai cast in currently-unknown roles.

"She's someone who's been underestimated by even her own dad and being the youngest kid, sometimes you're insulated from all of the tough stuff of life and she's so eager to prove to herself and to everybody else that there's some things that she can handle," Grace said of Barbara in an interview last year.. "So, this journey is definitely going to show me a lot of that. I feel like I'm on an endless journey of proving to myself what barriers I can break, what limits I can break for myself and I'm excited to put a little bit of that eagerness and drive and, like, almost a bit of stubbornness into Barbara's character."

What do you think of the first look at J.K. Simmons on the set of Batgirl? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Batgirl is set to be released at a later date exclusively on HBO Max.

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