DC’s Quirkiest HBO Series Set to Begin Filming This Year

DC Studios is diving into some truly unique territory under the leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran, with a lineup that includes shows like Creature Commandos, Peacemaker, and the upcoming serious superhero drama, Lanterns. Now, things are about to get even more intriguing with a new, untitled series that will spotlight the notorious Flash villain, Gorilla Grodd.

Originally reported late last year, this Gorilla Grodd project was initially framed around Daily Planet photojournalist Jimmy Olsen, portrayed by Skyler Gisondo in the 2025 Superman film. The series, created by Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda—known for their work on American Vandal—was set to feature Olsen as the lead character.

Safran, co-chairman and CEO of DC Studios, recently revealed that the show has shifted focus to become a “Gorilla Grodd show,” with filming slated to begin later this year.

During a conversation with a Brazilian content creator at the Supergirl premiere in Rio de Janeiro, Safran confirmed that the Jimmy Olsen/Gorilla Grodd project is just one of many exciting developments in the pipeline for DC Studios.

When asked about the potential for a new Justice League movie, Safran remained tight-lipped, stating, “We know eventually we’ll head in that direction, but we’re really just focusing on the projects we’ve announced: Supergirl, Lanterns for HBO, Clayface this fall, Man of Tomorrow, The Batman Part 2, and we’re going to introduce Batman into the DCU with Brave and the Bold. We’ve talked about the Gorilla Grodd show for HBO that we’ll start shooting this year … Big news, by the way, I probably shouldn’t have said that.”

Echoing sentiments from co-CEO James Gunn, Safran emphasized the importance of getting the script and story right, indicating that there’s no rush on certain projects.

With that in mind, it seems the Gorilla Grodd/Jimmy Olsen series has a solid narrative foundation. Featuring a super-intelligent, telepathic gorilla in a leading role is sure to make this one of DC Studios’ most captivating projects.

Gorilla Grodd, created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, first appeared in The Flash #106 back in 1959. Over the past five decades, Grodd has made numerous appearances in DC animated series and video games, as well as in live-action within The CW’s Arrowverse, starting with The Flash and later in Legends of Tomorrow. One of Grodd’s most notorious live-action moments involved him traveling back in time to eliminate a young Barack Obama, famously declaring, “Time to make America Grodd again.” It remains to be seen if HBO’s interpretation can surpass that memorable moment.

Looking ahead, DC Studios’ next release, Supergirl, featuring Milly Alcock and Jason Momoa, hits theaters on June 26. This will be followed by Lanterns on August 16 and the studio’s first R-rated film, Clayface, on October 23. As for the Gorilla Grodd series, it appears we may have to wait until 2027 at the earliest to see it come to life.