Hold onto your hats, DC fans! The ever-expanding universe crafted by James Gunn and Peter Safran is about to get a whole lot more… bananas. Following the ambitious reboot of the DC Universe with films like 2025’s Superman, we’re getting a brand new comedy series that promises to be unlike anything we’ve seen before: “The People v. Gorilla Grodd.” Get ready for a mockumentary-style deep dive into the criminal justice system, starring everyone’s favorite Daily Planet photographer, Jimmy Olsen.
A Mockumentary Mashup of Justice and Primate Shenanigans
HBO officially announced Friday that “The People v. Gorilla Grodd” is getting an eight-episode order, straight to series! This half-hour comedy will draw comparisons to beloved shows like The Office, Parks and Recreation, and American Vandal, but with a distinctly DC twist.
Here’s the official logline: “A superintelligent ape is convicted of murdering his father, the King of Gorilla City. In an eight-part ‘true’ crime docuseries, the Daily Planet’s Jimmy Olsen reopens the case, investigating whether Gorilla Grodd was wrongly convicted in one of Metropolis’ most famous murder trials.”
Familiar Faces and Fresh Perspectives
Skyler Gisondo is back as the ever-optimistic Jimmy Olsen, partnering with Jimmy Tatro as the surprisingly eloquent Gorilla Grodd. And that’s not all! Several familiar faces from the Superman universe will be making appearances: Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant, and Wendell Pierce as the gruff but lovable Perry White. The cast also includes Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Dan Perrault, Andrew Leeds, and Tim Baltz.
The Creative Team Behind the Mayhem
Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, the brilliant minds behind Netflix’s American Vandal, are serving as showrunners, writers, and executive producers. Yacenda is also directing all episodes, promising a unique visual style that perfectly complements the mockumentary format. Of course, James Gunn and Peter Safran are on board as executive producers, ensuring this series stays true to the spirit of the DC Universe.
“Between Skyler’s wonderful performance and the fantastic chemistry of the Daily Planet cast, we knew coming out of ‘Superman’ that this would be a fun world to explore,” Gunn and Safran said in a statement. “We’re excited to work with the brilliant Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda to take the audience down some of the darker and funnier streets and alleyways of the DCU as Jimmy spotlights the Metropolis criminal justice system for his docuseries.”
“We’re excited by the challenge of creating a series that feels less like an entry into the DCU and more like an artifact from it,” Yacenda and Perrault said. “A Daily Planet original documentary made for the people of Metropolis. We hope it’ll appeal to fans of the comics, comedy and true crime. And while we can’t speak for audiences here yet, we already know it’s a huge hit in Metropolis. They love this series.”
Who is Gorilla Grodd? A Brief History
For those unfamiliar with the character, Gorilla Grodd was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, first appearing in The Flash #106 in 1959. This super-intelligent ape has been a recurring villain across various DC animated projects and video games for over half a century. He’s also appeared in live-action on The CW’s Arrowverse, notably in The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow. One particularly memorable (and bizarre) appearance involved Grodd traveling back in time to… well, let’s just say it was an attempt to alter history with a very specific political slogan. Whether HBO’s take on Gorilla Grodd can possibly top that remains to be seen!
Source: Polygon
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