Jimmy Olsen Gets His Own HBO Max Series—First Cast Revealed
HBO Max Orders Hilarious True-Crime Comedy: The People v. Gorilla Grodd
What’s the Big News?
Important: HBO Max has officially ordered 8 episodes of a brand-new DC comedy series called The People v. Gorilla Grodd. It’s a straight-to-series order (meaning they skipped the pilot and committed to a full season right away).
- Format: Half-hour comedy filmed like a true-crime documentary (think Making a Murderer but funny and with superheroes)
- Style: Mockumentary — pretend interviews, "found footage," and dramatic reenactments
- Produced by: DC Studios + Warner Bros. Television
- Coming to: HBO Max (now just "Max")
Meet the Main Characters
| Actor | Role | Fun Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Skyler Gisondo | Jimmy Olsen | Superman’s best pal, photographer at the Daily Planet |
| Jimmy Tatro | Gorilla Grodd | A super-smart, psychic gorilla — and the "suspect" |
| Beck Bennett | Steve Lombard | Returning from Superman (2025) — Jimmy’s rude coworker |
| Mikaela Hoover | Cat Grant | Returning from Superman — gossip columnist |
| Wendell Pierce | Perry White | Returning from Superman — grumpy Daily Planet editor |
New Faces Joining the Fun
- Mary Holland
- Eduardo Franco
- Arian Moayed
- Dan Perrault (also a showrunner!)
- Andrew Leeds
- Tim Baltz
Who Is Gorilla Grodd?
Important: Don’t worry if you don’t know him — here’s the ELI5 version:
- Created in 1959 by comic legends John Broome & Carmine Infantino
- Origin: Regular gorilla → zapped by alien spaceship → gains psychic powers + super intelligence
- Classic villain: Fought the Flash, joined the Legion of Doom, recently appeared in the Arrowverse TV shows
- In this show: He’s been convicted of murdering his own father, the King of Gorilla City
What’s the Plot?
Think Serial podcast meets The Office in Metropolis:
- The Crime: Gorilla Grodd is in prison for killing his dad (the King of Gorilla City)
- The Twist: Jimmy Olsen thinks Grodd might be innocent
- The Show: Jimmy makes an 8-episode true-crime docuseries for the Daily Planet to investigate
- The Goal: Expose the weird, funny, dark side of Metropolis’ justice system
Callout: The creators describe it as "less like an entry into the DCU and more like an artifact from it" — meaning it feels like a real documentary made by people inside the DC Universe.
The Creative Team Behind the Camera
| Role | People | Known For |
|---|---|---|
| Showrunners / Writers / EPs | Tony Yacenda & Dan Perrault | American Vandal (Netflix true-crime parody) |
| Director (all episodes) | Tony Yacenda | |
| Executive Producers | James Gunn & Peter Safran | DC Studios Co-CEOs (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Suicide Squad) |
Important: Yacenda & Perrault are masters of the mockumentary style — they made American Vandal, the hilarious fake true-crime series about high school vandalism.
How This Fits Into the New DC Universe
- Part of the "DCU" reboot led by James Gunn & Peter Safran
- Spins out of the 2025 Superman movie (where Gisondo, Bennett, Hoover, Pierce first played these roles)
- Joins Lanterns (live-action Green Lantern drama) on Max
- Second comedy on Max with superhero ties — alongside Stuart Fails to Save the Universe (a Big Bang Theory spinoff renewed for Season 2)
Why This Is Different (and Cool)
- Not a typical superhero show — no capes, no punching, just investigative comedy
- Jimmy Olsen gets the spotlight — usually a sidekick, now the lead investigator
- Gorilla Grodd as a complex character — not just a villain, but a defendant with a story
- Meta humor: It’s a "documentary made by the Daily Planet for the citizens of Metropolis"
Summary
HBO Max is making an 8-episode true-crime comedy called The People v. Gorilla Grodd. Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) hosts a Daily Planet documentary investigating whether Gorilla Grodd (Jimmy Tatro) — a psychic super-gorilla — was wrongly convicted of killing his father. It’s a mockumentary from the creators of American Vandal, produced by James Gunn & Peter Safran, with returning Superman cast members. It’s weird, funny, and totally unique for the DC Universe.
FAQ
1. Do I need to watch Superman (2025) first?
Nope! The show stands alone, but if you’ve seen the movie, you’ll recognize Jimmy, Steve, Cat, and Perry.
2. Is this for kids?
It’s a comedy for teens/adults — think The Office or American Vandal humor. Not a kids’ cartoon.
3. What’s a "mockumentary"?
A fake documentary — scripted actors pretending to be real people in a "real" investigation. Comedy gold.
4. When does it come out?
No official release date yet — but with casting done and an 8-episode order, production is likely underway or starting soon.
5. Is Gorilla Grodd a "good guy" now?
That’s the mystery! The show explores whether he’s a villain, a victim, or something in between.