HBO Officially Announces New 'Superman' Spin-Off Series in James Gunn's DCU

After Lanterns became the biggest debut for a DC Studios series on HBO Max, the platform has officially announced a new series set in the DC Universe. After months of speculation around a spin-off of Superman featuring Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen and Jimmy Tatro as Gorilla Grodd, HBO Max has given an eight-episode, straight-to-series order for a new half-hour comedy. The series is officially titled The People v. Gorilla Grodd.

The People v. Gorilla logline states the series will center on “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.” In addition to Gisondo, The People v. Gorilla Grodd will feature Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant, and Wendell Pierce as Perry White reprising their roles from Superman. Additional cast members include Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Dan Perrault, Andrew Leeds, and Tim Baltz.

Regarding the series, James Gunn and Peter Safran, executive producers and DC Studios’ Co-Chairmen & Co-CEOs, said in a statement:

“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.”

The People v. Gorilla Grodd comes from Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, the creators of Netflix hit mockumentary American Vandal. Yacenda and Perrault will serve as showrunners, writers, and executive producers, with Yacenda set to direct all eight episodes. Regarding the series, 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. We hope it’ll appeal to fans of the comics, comedy and true crime. And while we can’t speak for audiences here yet, we already know it’s a huge hit in Metropolis. They love this series.”

In a statement, Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO & HBO Max Comedy Series, said:

“We are thrilled to be working with Tony and Dan, alongside James, Peter, the entire DC team and our colleagues at WBTV, to bring these iconic DCU characters to HBO Max in a new and unexpected way. 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.”

No release window has been set for The People v. Gorilla Grodd. However, it could air in 2027 after Man of Tomorrow, which is set to open in theaters on Jul. 9, 2027. The latest entry in the DCU, Lanterns, is currently airing on HBO and HBO Max.