|
|
HBO Max Orders Jimmy Olsen Based Series, 'The People v. Gorilla Grodd'
Posted on August 21, 2026 by Neil Cole
HBO Max has given a series order to "The People v. Gorilla Grodd", a new DC Studios comedy that will follow Superman supporting character Jimmy Olsen as he investigates one of Metropolis' most notorious murder cases. The eight-episode, half-hour series will star Skyler Gisondo as Olsen and Jimmy Tatro as the superintelligent Gorilla Grodd.
The series is conceived as a true-crime-style mockumentary centered on Grodd, who is accused and convicted of murdering his father, the King of Gorilla City. Olsen, working as a reporter for the Daily Planet, reopens the case and begins examining whether Grodd was wrongly convicted in what has become one of Metropolis' most infamous trials. The format will blend the conventions of investigative true-crime documentaries with the comedic sensibilities of the DC universe.
Gisondo will reprise his role as Jimmy Olsen after portraying the Daily Planet photographer in the 2025 "Superman" film. Tatro will make his DC debut as Gorilla Grodd, while several other Superman cast members are returning, including Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant and Wendell Pierce as Perry White. The ensemble also includes Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Andrew Leeds and Tim Baltz.
Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, the creative team behind the Netflix mockumentary series American Vandal, will serve as writers, executive producers and showrunners. Yacenda is also set to direct all eight episodes, while Perrault will appear in the series. James Gunn and Peter Safran are executive producers alongside the creative team, with DC Studios and Warner Bros. Television producing the series.
The project is designed to expand the DC universe through a format distinct from its traditional superhero dramas and action-driven productions. Rather than centering on a conventional superhero conflict, "The People v. Gorilla Grodd" places a familiar DC character in the middle of an investigative comedy, using the Daily Planet and its newsroom as the foundation for a story that explores the stranger corners of Metropolis. HBO Max has not announced a premiere date for the series.
×
![]()
×
![]()
