James Gunn and Peter Safran are going out on a limb with their latest casting decision for DC Studios, copying a move Warner Bros. pulled back in the 1980s. Zack Snyder's DCEU relied on melodrama to push its stories forward. A dance-off never would have decided the fate of the universe in Justice League. The DCU, run by a huge fan of comedy, isn't concerned about having one too many jokes in its projects.
The first show out of the gates, Creature Commandos, focused on a group of misfits who couldn't wait for their next opportunity to drop a quip. Peacemaker walked a similar path, with the 11th Street Kids focusing as much on making fun of each other as on completing their mission. However, none of the characters that appeared on those shows were well-known enough for anyone to be bothered about Gunn and Co. taking creative liberties with them.
The Jimmy Olsen show will test the waters like never before. Accompanying the young journalist on his journey to investigate DC villains will be Gorilla Grodd. American Vandal creators Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault are bringing in their old pal Jimmy Tatro to voice the telepathic ape. Tatro is famous for his deadpan humor, which certainly isn't a trait that Grodd typically possesses.
In the comic books, Grodd is a schemer who frequently goes up against The Flash. The Arrowverse brought him to life in the Grant Gustin-led series, turning him into a tragic figure who went so far as to raise armies to get back at the people who hurt him. It appeared as if the DCU was borrowing a page out of The CW's book when Grodd made a brief cameo in Creature Commandos as Ilana Rostovic's general. But the tide appears to be turning in a different direction for the ape.
Before the pitchforks come out for Tatro, who's surely going to do a great job with the material he's presented, it's important to remember that Warner Bros. has a good track record when it comes to getting the most out of comedians.
Batman star Michael Keaton started his career in the entertainment industry as a stand-up comedian before landing roles in comedy movies like Mr. Mom and Beetlejuice. He showed enough in those roles for Tim Burton to hand him the cape and cowl for two movies. And Keaton crushed it as both Bruce Wayne and Batman, even bringing his own flair at times, such as when he asked Joker if he wanted to get "nuts."
Tatro won't just have a name like Keaton to lean on if times get tough, though, because there are plenty of other actors with comedy backgrounds who found success playing DC characters.
Comedy Actors Who Landed Roles In DC Projects
Zachary Levi
Awkward characters ran network TV in the early 2000s, and Zachary Levi played a great one in Chuck. The titular character was always in over his head as he helped a couple of government agents take down the bad guys. Well, Levi clearly learned a thing or two because he went on to star in not one but two superhero franchises.
In the MCU, Levi played Fandral, one of the Asgardian Warriors Three, in Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok. The DCEU gave the actor far more to do, having him bring the adult version of Billy Batson to life in both Shazam! movies when he uttered the magic words.
Pete Davidson
Most people who work in comedy dream of starring in or writing for Saturday Night Live. Lorne Michaels saw something special in stand-up comedian Pete Davidson and brought him in to work on his sketch-comedy show in 2014. For eight seasons, he made audience members laugh with stellar jokes and hilarious characters.
Before his time on SNL came to an end, Davidson turned his attention to the DCEU, playing Blackguard in Gunn's The Suicide Squad. While he didn't last long in the movie, his character certainly made an impact, as he tried to betray Task Force X before meeting a grim end.
Will Arnett
Keaton can't claim to be the only funny guy to play the Caped Crusader. Will Arnett made a name for himself by appearing in Fox's critically acclaimed sitcom Arrested Development before making plenty of noise on the big screen. The creative team behind The LEGO Movie thought he was a good choice to play Batman, a decision that paid off big time.
Once everything was awesome, The LEGO Batman Movie entered the pipeline, with Arnett reprising his role and being joined by some of the other biggest names in comedy, including Michael Cera and Zach Galifianakis. The powers that be tried to get a sequel off the ground, but it didn't come to fruition. Nevertheless, Arnett cemented himself as one of the best actors ever to play the Dark Knight in his short run.
