Jimmy Olsen is getting his own corner of the DC Universe — and his first case involves a superintelligent ape accused of murder.
HBO Max has ordered The People v. Gorilla Grodd, an eight-episode, half-hour comedy from DC Studios and Warner Bros. Television starring Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen and Jimmy Tatro as Gorilla Grodd.
The series expands the world introduced in James Gunn’s Superman, bringing several members of the Daily Planet staff back for a very different kind of DCU story built around comedy, true crime and one of Metropolis’ most notorious murder cases.
What Is The People v. Gorilla Grodd About?
The People v. Gorilla Grodd is structured as an eight-part “true” crime docuseries produced within the DC Universe itself.
Gorilla Grodd, a superintelligent ape, has been convicted of murdering his father, the King of Gorilla City. Jimmy Olsen reopens the case for the Daily Planet and begins investigating whether Grodd was wrongly convicted in one of Metropolis’ most famous murder trials.
Rather than simply presenting another superhero adventure, the series is designed to feel like a documentary that could actually exist within the DCU — a Daily Planet production created for the citizens of Metropolis.
Skyler Gisondo Returns as Jimmy Olsen
Skyler Gisondo reprises his role as Jimmy Olsen after appearing as the Daily Planet photographer in Superman.
He won’t be the only familiar face returning from the film. Beck Bennett will reprise his role as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover returns as Cat Grant and Wendell Pierce is back as Daily Planet editor Perry White.
Jimmy Tatro joins the DCU as Gorilla Grodd, the superintelligent ape at the center of Jimmy’s investigation.
The People v. Gorilla Grodd Cast
The cast includes Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Jimmy Tatro as Gorilla Grodd, Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant and Wendell Pierce as Perry White.
Additional cast members include Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Dan Perrault, Andrew Leeds and Tim Baltz.
American Vandal Creators Are Behind the DCU Comedy
The People v. Gorilla Grodd comes from Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, the creative team behind American Vandal.
Yacenda and Perrault will serve as showrunners, writers and executive producers, with Yacenda directing all eight episodes. James Gunn and Peter Safran also serve as executive producers.
The combination is particularly fitting for the unusual project. American Vandal used the language and structure of serious true-crime documentaries to tell an absurd fictional mystery, while The People v. Gorilla Grodd will apply a similar approach inside the DC Universe.
“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 described the project as a Daily Planet original documentary made for the people of Metropolis, with the creators hoping to bring together audiences interested in comics, comedy and true crime.
James Gunn on Expanding the World of Superman
Gunn and Safran said the chemistry among the Daily Planet cast in Superman convinced them that the characters offered another part of the DCU worth exploring.
The new series will take Jimmy beyond the Daily Planet newsroom as he investigates Metropolis’ criminal justice system and attempts to determine whether one of the city’s most infamous convicted killers belongs behind bars.
When Does The People v. Gorilla Grodd Premiere?
HBO Max has not announced a premiere date for The People v. Gorilla Grodd.
The eight-episode Max Original is produced by DC Studios in association with Warner Bros. Television. Tony Yacenda, Dan Perrault, James Gunn and Peter Safran executive produce.
For more information, read HBO Max’s official announcement for The People v. Gorilla Grodd.
Thomas Miller is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Seat42F, covering television, movies and streaming entertainment. He launched Seat42F in 2007 and has spent nearly two decades covering the entertainment industry.
