Not much is known about J.K Simmons' Commissioner Gordon, who the actor is set to debut as in the upcoming DC Justice League movie. However, the actor has opened up about the character's backstory a little bit. To make a long story short, Commissioner Gordon is set to be a "badass," as well as an ex-marine, which would help explain why J.K Simmons got so ripped for the role.
"Badass" Ex-Marine
As Mr Simmons recently told the Justice League: Official Collectors Edition tie-in magazine, the "badass" qualities of the character will be under-appreciated, saying:
“My take on Commissioner Gordon is that he’s a badass but that’s an under-appreciated part of who he is because he’s eclipsed by the ultimate badass, Batman.
But Gordon is a tough ex-Marine, who worked his way up and can handle himself in the turf of bad guys. Compared to Batman, he’s just a regular guy, but compared to most people, he’s a champion.”
Ben Affleck, who portrays Batman/Bruce Wayne in Justice League (as well as the related movies, such as Suicide Squad), also spoke about Commissioner Gordon, saying that Mr Simmons adds a number of dimensions to the role that hasn't been seen in the character before. While not comparing the portrayal to the likes of the character in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, Mr Affleck did say that the character is grounded in realism.
Grounded In Realism
The fact that the Commissioner will be grounded in realism, and will have the toughness that his comic book character is based around, should help appease comic book purists, who haven't seen much of this toughness appear on-screen.
The likes of Gary Oldman's Commissioner Gordon came close, but with a few changes, such as the lack of a marine background. That incarnation of the character also didn't have much of a physical role, despite having somewhat of a tough stance on crime and a general machismo. This ex-marine background and the realism that's being associated with J.K Simmons' betrayal fits almost perfectly with comic book portrayals, especially ones in recent decades.
Hopefully, this will help generate more of a buzz for the movie, which is set to be either the biggest blockbuster this year, or a massive flop, depending on who you ask. While Justice League is still one of the most anticipated of the year, Diane Lane, who plays the adoptive mother of Superman/Clark Kent seems to think that the movie may be a bit of a let-down, especially compared to many of Marvel's recent offerings.