James Gunn always said his DC Universe was going to be different from Marvel, and now, he’s truly putting that to the test. HBO just greenlit the long-rumored Jimmy Olsen TV show which, as expected, also focuses on Gorilla Grodd. It’s called The People v. Gorilla Grodd, and it’ll be done in the format of a true crime documentary following Olsen investigating the past crimes of the famous DC ape.
“A superintelligent ape is convicted of murdering his father, the King of Gorilla City,” the official logline reads. “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.” Here’s the official Daily Planet press release on the show:
The People Vs Gorilla Grodd, the new show from DC Studios, is coming to HBO Max. Our first foray into the true crime genre. From the creators of American Vandal, starring Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Jimmy Tatro as Gorilla Grodd, Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover… pic.twitter.com/FsD4eTD5lP
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) August 21, 2026
Skyler Gisondo will reprise his role as Jimmy Olsen and Jimmy Tatro will, as expected, play Gorilla Grodd. As for the rest of the cast, it’s basically everyone from the Daily Planet scenes in Superman, minus Clark Kent and Lois Lane. There’s Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant, and Wendell Pierce as Perry White. Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault are the writers and showrunners, with Yacenda directing all eight episodes.
“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, the head of DC Studios and EP on the show, said in a press release. “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 added in a joint statement. “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.”
The big question is, though, how many ladies will Jimmy Olsen have to turn away now that he’s not just a hot-shot reporter, but a TV star too?
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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