Jimmy Olsen is getting his own series, and this time he is investigating a murder rather than chasing Superman stories.
HBO Max has ordered eight episodes of The People v. Gorilla Grodd, a half-hour comedy set in the world of DC Studios’ Superman. Skyler Gisondo will return as Jimmy Olsen, with Jimmy Tatro playing Gorilla Grodd.
The series will use a true-crime mockumentary format. Its first season follows Jimmy as he reopens the case of Grodd, a superintelligent gorilla convicted of murdering his father, the King of Gorilla City.
Grodd is a longtime DC character who has psychic abilities and other powers after an encounter with an alien spaceship. The character first appeared in 1959 and has since featured in several DC adaptations.
The new series brings back three actors from Superman. Beck Bennett will reprise his role as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover returns as Cat Grant and Wendell Pierce is back as Perry White.
Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Dan Perrault, Andrew Leeds and Tim Baltz are joining the cast in new roles.
Deadline reports that Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, the creators of Netflix’s American Vandal, will serve as showrunners, writers and executive producers. Yacenda will also direct all eight episodes.
The format is designed to look like a Daily Planet documentary made for Metropolis. Jimmy’s investigation will focus on the city’s criminal justice system and whether Grodd was wrongly convicted.
The series also keeps some of the creative team behind the wider DC Universe involved. DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran are executive producers.
The People v. Gorilla Grodd joins HBO Max’s growing DC lineup, which includes Lanterns. It is also the second scripted comedy on the platform with DC connections, following Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.
A premiere date has not yet been announced.
