The People v. Gorilla Grodd moves forward at HBO Max

The latest DC property to hit television has a series order, as HBO Max is moving forward with The People v. Gorilla Grodd.

Grodd meets Olsen

Technically, we don’t know if famed Flash villain Gorilla Grodd will ever go face-to-face with The Daily Planet’s Jimmy Olsen. Though given the setup for the next DCU TV show, it sounds like it might be a possibility, as weird as that sounds at first blush.

We have to admit that when we first heard the rumor about a Jimmy Olsen and Gorilla Grodd show, we weren’t to sure how it’d work. After all, one is a cub reporter and photog, and the other is, well, a super-villain. The plot of the comedic Superman-spinoff though, has gotten a much fuller description as of today.

It all starts in the fabled Gorilla City, home to the DCU’s race of super-intelligent apes. It’s there that the villainous Grodd takes the throne after killing his own father, the king. Or, did he? That’s the big mystery of the show, as Olsen cracks open the previously-closed case.

That’s right, the trial has already concluded when The People v. Gorilla Grodd opens. Said preceding found Grodd guilty, thought the Planet’s reporter is not so sold on the outcome.

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.

HBO Max press release

A cast you (mostly) know

From the sound of it, the show will be presented in documentary format. That sounds like it might make for an interesting outing for the DCU, which has just debuted Lanterns on HBO Max, and has previously premiered both Peacemaker and Creature Commandos.

And while we don’t know a heck of a lot of detail just yet, the cast behind it should be instantly recognizable. That’s especially true for those who checked out last year’s Superman feature film. Skyler Gisondo is included there, starring as Superman’s pal, Jimmy Olsen. As for the main heavy, Gorilla Grodd will be voiced by Jimmy Tatro.

From there, it’s a who’s who from the Planet’s bullpen. Beck Bennett is back as Steve Lombard, with Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant, and Wendell Pierce as honcho Perry White. Additionally, the show will welcome the likes of Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Dan Perrault, Andrew Leeds, and Tim Baltz.

James Gunn and Peter Safran will be onboard as well, serving as executive producers. They’ll be joined by Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, who’ll be pulling triple duty. The two will serve as showrunners, writers, and executive producers. Actually, make that quad-duty, in the case of Yacenda, who’ll also direct the full set of episodes. Speaking of episodes, The People v. Gorilla Grodd‘s are set to be of the half-hour variety.

As for when you can look for the show to air, hang on. We’ve yet to see a release date for the series, though we’ll keep you updated. And in the meantime though, scroll down to check out some quotes from the people behind The People v. Gorilla Grodd, including Gunn and Safran.

“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.”

Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO & HBO Max Comedy Series

“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.”

James Gunn and Peter Safran, executive producers and DC Studios’ Co-Chairmen & Co-CEOs

“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.”

Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, showrunners, writers, and executive producers