The new Superman DCU spinoff TV series has officially received its title, with HBO Max handing down an eight-episode order for the half-hour comedy The People v. Gorilla Grodd.
The series comes from DC Studios in association with Warner Bros. Television. It will expand the world established in James Gunn’s Superman through a unique, mockumentary lens.
The official logline reads: “A superintelligent ape is convicted of murdering his father, the King of Gorilla City. 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.”
Who is playing Gorilla Grodd in the new Superman TV show?
Jimmy Tatro will play Gorilla Grodd in The People v. Gorilla Grodd. Skyler Gisondo will star alongside Tatro, returning as Daily Planet photojournalist Jimmy Olsen. Fellow Superman cast members Beck Bennett, Mikaela Hoover, and Wendell Pierce are also set to reprise their roles as Steve Lombard, Cat Grant, and Perry White, respectively.
The wider ensemble cast includes Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Dan Perrault, Andrew Leeds, and Tim Baltz.
Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault serve as showrunners, writers, and executive producers, with Yacenda directing all eight episodes. James Gunn and Peter Safran also serve as executive producers for DC Studios.
The project takes inspiration from true-crime documentaries while remaining part of the fictional DCU. Yacenda and Perrault said, “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.”
Before reuniting for this project, Yacenda and Perrault worked together on American Vandal. Their earlier series used a documentary format to parody true-crime storytelling. This time, that approach will follow a major case involving a familiar DC character. The investigation will center on whether Grodd was wrongly convicted.
HBO Max has not announced an official release date for The People v. Gorilla Grodd yet.
