'The People v. Gorilla Grodd' Wraps Filming on DC's Strangest Superman Spinoff

DC Studios has never shied away from weird ideas under James Gunn, but few projects have sounded stranger on paper than a true-crime mockumentary about a telepathic ape. Now that ‘The People v. Gorilla Grodd’ has officially wrapped filming, the idea is moving from curiosity to reality. For fans of the DC Universe, that’s a notable milestone.

The project began as a rumored Jimmy Olsen vehicle that bounced between working titles. Over time, it became one of the DCU’s most talked-about oddities. With production finished, the conversation is shifting from whether it will happen to what it will look like.

Skyler Gisondo confirmed to Collider that the series has wrapped. He told the outlet that the production finished a couple of weeks earlier and that it’s “in the can.” The show is now in post-production, and no release date has been announced.

Collider describes it as DC’s next live-action TV project arriving in 2027. Gisondo also teased that the show takes a look at the DC Universe that audiences haven’t seen before. That fits with the series’ unusual format, which treats the story as a documentary within the DCU itself.

‘The People v. Gorilla Grodd’ is an 8-episode, half-hour comedy at HBO Max. It follows Gisondo’s Jimmy Olsen as he reopens a famous Metropolis murder case in which the superintelligent ape was convicted of killing his father, the King of Gorilla City. Jimmy investigates whether Grodd was wrongly convicted, in the style of an in-universe Daily Planet true-crime documentary.

The series comes from ‘American Vandal’ creators Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, which helps explain the mockumentary tone. Gorilla Grodd first appeared in DC Comics in 1959 as an antagonist to the Flash, and in the comics he gained his powers after exposure to a space rock that made him hyper-intelligent and able to control minds. This will be his live-action debut in the DCU.

Jimmy Tatro plays Gorilla Grodd, and Gisondo returns as Jimmy Olsen after his turn in ‘Superman’. Several other Daily Planet staffers from the film are back, including Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant and Wendell Pierce as Perry White. Sara Gilbert has also joined the ensemble.

Other cast members include Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Dan Perrault, Andrew Leeds and Tim Baltz. Some reports suggest that David Corenswet’s Clark Kent and Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane may not appear, though a surprise cameo can never be ruled out. For now, the focus is squarely on Jimmy and his colleagues.

HBO Max gave the series a straight-to-series order on August 21, announcing the title and cast at the same time. Gunn said he pitched the Jimmy Olsen and Gorilla Grodd idea to Warner Bros. before he even started at DC. Cameras began rolling in early September, with GamesRadar reporting that filming took place at a US university just weeks after the announcement.

That quick turnaround is notable. The production began about two weeks after ‘Man of Tomorrow’ wrapped, which suggests that DC Studios is moving efficiently on its slate. Gisondo has said filming included courthouse scenes that were shot in a way that felt like a play.

The series joins HBO Max’s growing DC lineup, which includes ‘Lanterns’. It’s also the second scripted comedy on the platform with DC connections, following ‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’. That variety underlines how Gunn and Peter Safran are trying to broaden the tone of the shared universe.

Gisondo will also return as Jimmy Olsen in ‘Man of Tomorrow’, which is scheduled to hit theaters on July 9, 2027. That means the character is set to appear in both formats, which could give fans a chance to see how the two stories connect. How closely the series ties into the main continuity remains unclear.

Part of the intrigue lies in the show’s willingness to treat a comic-book villain like a real-world defendant. A courtroom drama about a gorilla from a hidden city is the kind of idea that could easily go wrong or become a cult favorite. The creative team’s comedy background suggests that it will lean into the absurdity while still playing the mystery straight.

It also offers something different from the larger-than-life action of the DCU’s films. A smaller, character-driven comedy could help flesh out the world of Metropolis and give supporting characters more time to shine. That could be especially valuable for Jimmy, who has been a fan favorite since his big-screen debut.

With filming finished, the next big question is when HBO Max will announce a release window. A teaser or trailer would give fans their first real look at Tatro’s Grodd and the show’s mockumentary style. Until then, the cast list and premise will have to carry the hype.

If the series succeeds, it could open the door to more experimental projects within the DCU. If it doesn’t, it will at least be remembered as one of the strangest ideas to reach the screen. Either way, the wait for a premiere date is now officially underway.