Although Superman fans can look forward to a new take on DC Comics’ Man of Steel debuting with the release of James Gunn’s simply-titled Superman reboot next year, we’re also bidding farewell to a different version of the character soon. Among the things we know about Superman & Lois Season 4 is that The CW show is ending with a final batch of 10 episodes. While that is disappointing to me as a fan, I am glad to hear that Superman & Lois has cast one of Superman’s key supporting characters for this last hurrah.
Douglas Smith from the HBO shows Big Love and Big Little Lies has been cast to play Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen in Season 4. According to TV Line, this version of the character is an extroverted twenty-something who’s known for being “the life of the party.” Although he and Clark Kent are colleagues, the younger man hasn’t been able to get his coworker “awkward shell.” Though Jimmy doesn’t know that Clark is Superman, he’s trying to get the spectacled reporter to become his “pal.”
Along with the aforementioned HBO shows, Smith’s notable credits include Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, Terminator Genisys, Don’t Worry Darling and The Alienist. Along with his forthcoming gig on Superman & Lois, the actor will also appear later this year in Kevin Costner’s two-part film event Horizon: An American Saga. Smith is the latest in a long string of actors to play Jimmy Olsen in live-action, with others on that list including Jack Larson, Mark McClure, Sam Huntington, Aaron Ashmore and Mehcad Brooks. Skyler Gisondo is also set to play him in Superman, which will be the DC Universe’s first movie.
Considering that Jimmy Olsen has been part of the Superman canon since debuting in the radio serial The Adventures of Superman in 1940, which was followed by by his first comics appearance in Superman #13 a year later, I’m pleased that he’ll get some time to shine on Superman & Lois before it’s over. Now we need to ponder how he’ll fit into this final storyline. Will he be taking part in the present day events or will he be seen through flashbacks? If it’s the former, considering that the Kents have been living in Smallville for a few years now, what will draw Jimmy back into their life since he’s presumably still been based in Metropolis? Will he stop by their home in Kansas, or are the Kents set to move back to the city?
Whatever the answers to these questions are, I look forward to seeing how Douglas Smith puts his own spin on Jimmy Olsen. He’s the second new actor to come aboard for Superman & Lois Season 4, the first being Avatar: The Last Airbender’s Yvonne Chapman, who will play Lex Luthor ally Amanda McCoy. Michael Cudlitz will also reprise Luthor as a series regular alongside Tyler Hoechlin, Alex Garfin and Michael Bishop. Several previous main cast members are also set to reprise their roles in guest-starring/recurring capacities, including Dylan Walsh, Inde Navarrette and Erik Valdez.
Superman & Lois Season 4 doesn’t have a specific premiere date yet, but it is expected to arrive sometime during the 2024 TV season. While we wait for more updates on its progress, remember that the first three seasons can be streamed with a Max subscription.
