DC did not leave its strangest new series sitting in development for long. The People v. Gorilla Grodd has begun filming in Georgia, only weeks after HBO Max ordered the eight-episode comedy.
Production reports place part of the shoot at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. DC Studios and HBO Max have not shared set photos, a release date, or a first look at Jimmy Tatro as Gorilla Grodd.
Where is The People v. Gorilla Grodd filming?
The production is working in the Atlanta area, with filming reported on the Georgia Tech campus. The university location confirms cameras are rolling, but it does not reveal which part of Metropolis the campus will represent on screen.
A production listing had scheduled principal photography to begin in late August. The Georgia shoot now gives the series a real production footprint soon after its August announcement.
What is the show about?
The People v. Gorilla Grodd is an eight-part, half-hour comedy presented as a true-crime documentary made inside the DC Universe. As our first report on the series explained, Grodd has been convicted of murdering his father, the King of Gorilla City. Jimmy Olsen reopens the case to find out whether Metropolis convicted the wrong ape.
It is not a courtroom drama built around superhero fights. Jimmy is making a documentary, interviewing people connected to the case, and examining a conviction that the public already treats as settled. The comedy comes from taking that process seriously in a city where the defendant is a telepathic gorilla.
Who is returning from Superman?
Skyler Gisondo leads the series as Jimmy Olsen. Beck Bennett is back as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover returns as Cat Grant, and Wendell Pierce again plays Daily Planet editor Perry White. Jimmy Tatro will play Gorilla Grodd.
The wider cast includes Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Dan Perrault, Andrew Leeds, and Tim Baltz. HBO Max has not announced their roles.
Who is making the series?
American Vandal creators Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault are the writers, showrunners, and executive producers. Yacenda is directing all eight episodes. James Gunn and Peter Safran are also executive producers through DC Studios.
That team explains the mockumentary format. American Vandal used interviews, evidence boards, and very serious narration to investigate ridiculous fictional crimes. Gorilla Grodd gives them a much larger sandbox without changing the basic joke.
When will The People v. Gorilla Grodd be released?
HBO Max has not announced a premiere date. Filming has started, but the series still needs to complete production and post-production, including the effects required to bring Grodd to live action.
There is no trailer yet, and DC has not confirmed appearances by Superman, Lois Lane, or The Flash. The returning Daily Planet cast is the connection to Superman that has been announced.
The cameras are rolling, so this is no longer just one of DC’s stranger ideas on a press-release page. Now fans have something specific to wait for: the first image of Tatro as Grodd. Does the true-crime format make you more interested in the series?
