HBO Max Just Greenlit the Wildest DC Team-Up: Olsen & Grodd
HBO Max Orders a Funny "True Crime" Show About a Super-Smart Gorilla
What’s the Big News?
HBO Max just gave the green light to a brand-new DC show called The People v. Gorilla Grodd. It’s not your usual serious superhero show—it’s a mockumentary (that means a fake documentary that’s actually a comedy). Think The Office or Parks and Recreation, but set in the world of Superman.
The Plot in a Nutshell
Imagine Jimmy Olsen (the young photographer who works with Superman at the Daily Planet newspaper) decides to make his own true-crime TV show. His first case? Investigating whether a super-intelligent, talking gorilla named Gorilla Grodd was wrongly sent to prison for murder.
- 8 episodes total
- Tone: Light, funny, and weird—in a good way
- Style: Presented as a Daily Planet original documentary "made for the people of Metropolis"
Meet the Cast
| Actor | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Skyler Gisondo | Jimmy Olsen | Reprising his role from the 2025 Superman movie |
| Jimmy Tatro | Gorilla Grodd | The super-smart ape villain; Tatro starred in American Vandal Season 1 |
| Beck Bennett | Steve Lombard | Daily Planet sports guy (from Superman movie) |
| Mikaela Hoover | Cat Grant | Daily Planet columnist (from Superman movie) |
| Wendell Pierce | Perry White | The gruff editor-in-chief (from Superman movie) |
| Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Dan Perrault, Andrew Leeds, Tim Baltz | Supporting roles | Fresh faces joining the fun |
Important Point: This show shares the same universe as the 2025 Superman movie! The same actors are playing the same characters. It’s all connected.
Who’s Making This?
The show comes from Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda—the creators of Netflix’s American Vandal (a hilarious mockumentary about high school vandalism that felt 100% real).
- Showrunners: Perrault & Yacenda
- Director (every episode): Tony Yacenda
- Executive Producers: Perrault, Yacenda, James Gunn & Peter Safran (the heads of DC Studios)
- Studio: Warner Bros. Television
Important Point: Jimmy Tatro starred in Season 1 of American Vandal, so he’s reuniting with the creators who know exactly how to use his comedic talents.
What the Bosses Are Saying
James Gunn & Peter Safran (DC Studios heads):
"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. 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."
Amy Gravitt (HBO Comedy Chief):
"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."
Perrault & Yacenda (Creators):
"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… And while we can’t speak for audiences here yet, we already know it’s a huge hit in Metropolis. They love this series."
A Fake Press Release (For Fun!)
As part of the announcement, HBO Max released a mock Daily Planet press release touting Jimmy’s documentary. It includes this quote from Perry White (Wendell Pierce):
"Everyone thinks they know Grodd: the power-hungry gorilla who killed his father for the throne of Gorilla City. But once you start to look beneath the fur, you start to realize there’s a lot more to that primate."
How This Fits in the DC Universe
| Show | Tone | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Lanterns | Dark, serious, prestige drama | Premiered Aug 16, 2025 — big hit, great reviews |
| The People v. Gorilla Grodd | Light, funny, mockumentary | Just ordered — coming soon |
Important Point: This show is deliberately different from Lanterns. DC Studios wants variety—some shows dark, some funny, some weird. This is the "weird funny" one.
Summary
- HBO Max ordered The People v. Gorilla Grodd — an 8-episode mockumentary comedy
- Stars Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen (from the 2025 Superman movie)
- Jimmy Tatro plays Gorilla Grodd — a super-intelligent ape villain
- From the creators of American Vandal — so expect sharp, fake-doc humor
- Same Daily Planet cast from Superman returns (Perry White, Cat Grant, Steve Lombard)
- Lighter tone than DC’s other new show, Lanterns
- Presented as an in-universe documentary — "an artifact from the DCU"
- Produced by James Gunn & Peter Safran — the architects of the new DC Universe
FAQ
What is a mockumentary?
A mockumentary is a comedy filmed in the style of a documentary. Characters talk to the camera, there are "archival clips," and it pretends to be real—but it’s all scripted and funny. Famous examples: The Office, Parks and Rec, What We Do in the Shadows, and American Vandal.
Do I need to watch the 2025 Superman movie first?
It helps! The show uses the same actors playing the same characters from that movie. But the creators say it’s designed to work on its own too—like a real documentary you’d find on TV in Metropolis.
Who is Gorilla Grodd?
In the comics, Gorilla Grodd is a super-intelligent, telepathic gorilla from a hidden city called Gorilla City. He’s usually a villain for The Flash, but he’s tangled with Superman too. In this show, he’s been convicted of murder—and Jimmy Olsen thinks he might be innocent.
Is this show for kids?
Probably teens and up. American Vandal was rated TV-MA (mature) for language and crude humor. Expect similar vibes—smart comedy, not little-kid stuff.
When does it come out?
No release date yet. The show was just officially ordered. Production will need to film 8 episodes, so expect it sometime in 2026—but stay tuned for official news!
Want more DC TV news? Keep an eye on HBO Max—between Lanterns, The People v. Gorilla Grodd, and whatever James Gunn & Peter Safran cook up next, the DC Universe on TV is getting wonderfully weird.