DC’s ‘The People v. Gorilla Grodd’ Mockumentary Spinoff Title and Cast Revealed
James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Studios has been actively broadening the universe introduced in 2025’s ‘Superman’ since its theatrical release, expanding a lineup that goes well beyond the iconic hero. One of the more surprising developments in this expansion has been quietly progressing behind the scenes since last year, centering on one of the film’s standout supporting characters.
This project first emerged in November 2025 under the working title ‘DC Crime,’ described as a fictional true crime docuseries hosted by Jimmy Olsen. Fans have eagerly awaited confirmation that the show would indeed proceed, along with details about its cast.
DC’s ‘The People v. Gorilla Grodd’ is officially set to premiere on HBO Max, featuring Skyler Gisondo reprising his role as Jimmy Olsen and Jimmy Tatro portraying Gorilla Grodd. HBO Max has ordered eight episodes of this half-hour comedy, with the official logline stating: “A superintelligent ape (Tatro) is convicted of murdering his father, the King of Gorilla City. In an eight-part ‘true’ crime docuseries, the Daily Planet’s Jimmy Olsen (Gisondo) reopens the case, investigating whether Gorilla Grodd was wrongly convicted in one of Metropolis’ most famous murder trials.”
Creators Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, known for their work on ‘American Vandal,’ will serve as showrunners for this mockumentary series, bringing their expertise in the genre that made their previous true-crime spoof a critical success. The Netflix series won a Peabody Award for its first season and received an Emmy nomination for comedy writing, leading to their subsequent project, the Paramount+ mockumentary ‘Players,’ before landing this DC venture.
Tatro’s casting also carries thematic significance, as he initially gained recognition in Netflix’s ‘American Vandal,’ stepping into a new mockumentary from the same creative team that helped launch his career.
The series will also see several actors from the original ‘Superman’ film returning to reprise their roles, including Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant, and Wendell Pierce as Perry White. New cast members joining the ensemble include Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Andrew Leeds, and Tim Baltz, with Perrault himself making an on-screen appearance.
Amy Gravitt, executive vice president of HBO Programming and head of HBO & HBO Max comedy series, expressed excitement about the project moving forward, stating that the studio is eager for fans to experience Tatro’s portrayal of Grodd alongside Gisondo’s well-received performance as Olsen. Gunn and Safran echoed this enthusiasm, noting the strong chemistry among the Daily Planet cast members, which made this corner of the DC universe feel ripe for further exploration.
Yacenda and Perrault described their creative vision as aiming for something that feels less like a conventional entry into the DC Universe and more like a documentary artifact created for the fictional citizens of Metropolis.
With the full cast now confirmed and Yacenda and Perrault’s proven mockumentary pedigree, ‘The People v. Gorilla Grodd’ appears poised to introduce a distinctly different tonal landscape to the DC Universe, expanding the world of ‘Superman’ in a direction that few fans likely anticipated when the film first introduced its version of Jimmy Olsen.
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