After a Wave of Cancellations, the DCU Finally Has a New Project in Production

James Gunn’s DC Universe has made a habit of surprising fans with tonal swings, jumping from the gritty ensemble drama of ‘Creature Commandos’ to the noir-inflected world of ‘Lanterns’ without missing a beat. That willingness to experiment with genre is quickly becoming one of the defining traits of this new era of DC storytelling.

The latest example leans all the way into comedy, and it’s coming from an unexpected corner of Metropolis. Rather than building another straightforward superhero spinoff, HBO Max is turning to one of ‘Superman’s’ scene-stealing supporting characters for a project that reimagines the DCU through the lens of prestige true crime television.

That project is ‘The People v. Gorilla Grodd,’ and HBO Max has now given the show a straight-to-series order for eight episodes. The mockumentary centers on Daily Planet staffer Jimmy Olsen, played by Skyler Gisondo, as he directs and stars in a true-crime show investigating whether Gorilla Grodd was wrongly convicted in one of Metropolis’ most famous murder trials. The official logline describes Gorilla Grodd, played by Jimmy Tatro, as a superintelligent ape convicted of murdering his father, the King of Gorilla City.

The series marks a reunion of sorts, pulling several familiar faces back from 2025’s ‘Superman.’ Gisondo reprises the role of Jimmy Olsen alongside fellow ‘Superman’ cast members Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant and Wendell Pierce as Perry White, with additional cast members Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Andrew Leeds and Tim Baltz rounding out the ensemble.

Behind the camera, DC Studios tapped a creative team with serious credentials in the mockumentary space. ‘The People v. Gorilla Grodd’ comes from ‘American Vandal’ creators Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, who serve as showrunners and writers, with Yacenda directing all eight episodes. That pedigree matters here, since ‘American Vandal’ built its reputation on skewering the true-crime documentary format with a similar mix of absurdist humor and genuine investigative structure.

HBO Max leaned into that same spirit with its announcement, releasing a mock Daily Planet press release promoting Olsen’s in-universe documentary alongside the official news. According to that same press materials, HBO’s Amy Gravitt, executive vice president of HBO Programming and head of HBO & HBO Max comedy series, said, “We already know Skyler Gisondo is pitch-perfect as Jimmy Olsen and we can’t wait for fans to experience Jimmy Tatro’s captivating and hilarious portrayal of Grodd.”

James Gunn and Peter Safran, DC Studios’ co-chairmen and co-CEOs, also weighed in on why this particular corner of the DCU felt ripe for a spinoff. The pair said, “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,” adding that they’re excited to work with Perrault and 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.”

Yacenda and Perrault themselves framed the project as something that should feel less like a traditional television series and more like a piece of media that actually exists inside the DCU itself. The showrunners said, “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. 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.”

‘The People v. Gorilla Grodd’ joins a growing slate of DCU television that already includes ‘Creature Commandos’ and ‘Lanterns,’ further illustrating how far Gunn and Safran are willing to stretch the boundaries of what a superhero universe show can look like. No release date has been announced yet, but between the cast returning from ‘Superman’ and the creative minds behind ‘American Vandal’ steering the ship, this satirical spin on Metropolis’ most infamous trial has already generated plenty of buzz.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!