The growing slate of DC Universe projects under James Gunn and Peter Safran is expanding with a new comedy series for HBO Max titled "The People v. Gorilla Grodd." This half-hour, eight-episode series will take a mockumentary approach, following Daily Planet photojournalist Jimmy Olsen as he investigates the murder trial of a superintelligent ape accused of patricide.
HBO has officially given the show a straight-to-series order. The series' official logline describes it as an eight-part "true" crime docuseries where Jimmy Olsen reopens the case to investigate whether Gorilla Grodd was wrongly convicted in one of Metropolis's most high-profile murder trials. Comparisons have been drawn to shows like "The Office," "Parks and Recreation," and "American Vandal."
Skyler Gisondo will return as Jimmy Olsen, with Jimmy Tatro cast as Gorilla Grodd. Several actors from "Superman" will also reprise their roles, including Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant, and Wendell Pierce as Perry White. The ensemble cast also features Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Dan Perrault, Andrew Leeds, and Tim Baltz.
Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, the creators of Netflix's "American Vandal," are set to serve as showrunners, writers, and executive producers for "The People v. Gorilla Grodd." Yacenda will direct all episodes, while Gunn and Safran will also executive produce.
Gunn and Safran stated that they were excited to explore this world further after Gisondo's performance and the chemistry of the "Daily Planet" cast in "Superman." They expressed eagerness to work with Perrault and Yacenda to delve into "darker and funnier streets and alleyways of the DCU" as Olsen examines the Metropolis criminal justice system for his docuseries.
Yacenda and Perrault added that they aim to create a series that feels like an "artifact from" the DCU, specifically a "Daily Planet original documentary made for the people of Metropolis." They hope the series will appeal to fans of comics, comedy, and true crime, noting its purported success within Metropolis.
Gorilla Grodd, a character created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, first appeared in 1959's "The Flash" #106. He has been featured in various DC animated and video game projects, as well as live-action appearances in The CW's Arrowverse. In "The Flash," the character famously appeared in an episode where he traveled back in time and declared, "Time to make America Grodd again."