It's been a crazy week for DC Studios, as CEO and Chairmen James Gunn and Peter Safran stepped down amid the Warner Bros. / Paramount merger (a.k.a. the Skydance takeover), with reports revealing that it all had to with the questionable focus of the DC Universe and its lacklustre box office performances. This has understandably left the fate of the franchise in question, which is pretty scary considering that we have Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow coming out next summer.
Another project on the DC calendar is The People v. Gorilla Grodd. A Superman spinoff starring Skyler Gisondo, who reprises his role as Jimmy Olsen from the 2025 movie, the planned HBO Max series focuses on the Daily Planet photojournalist as he investigates whether Gorilla Grodd truly killed his father, the king of Gorilla City. It's currently set for a 2027 release, but it's unclear as to whether it will come out or not.
Superman star addresses The People v. Gorilla Grodd's uncertain future
During the press tour for his upcoming movie Focker-in-Law
, Skyler Gisondo spoke to Screen Rant about the upheaval at DC Studios and whether or not The People v. Gorilla Grodd will actually see the light of day. Like all of us, he's unclear about the show's future, saying that there's "still a lot of questions as to what this means moving forward", adding that he hopes to work with James Gunn and Peter Safran again.
"Oh, that kind of stuff is definitely above my pay grade. I love James and Pete so much. I think they’ve done a great job. I am so grateful to them both... I think there’s still a lot of questions as to what this means moving forward. I hope we still get the chance to work together in some capacity. I don’t really know. Definitely going to miss them."
There is already plenty of discussion as to what "questions" means when it comes to DC. The first season of The People v. Gorilla Grodd wrapped production last month so there is little reason to think that it won't make it to screen next year. After all, HBO Max ordered the eight-episode series, right? And yet, there are concerns about whether that will even happen. Remember, this is DC we're talking about.
In the aftermath of the Warner Bros. / Discovery merger, the completed Batgirl movie planned for a HBO Max release was unexpectedly cancelled and written off, never to be seen again. The then-DC Extended Universe (DCEU) was scrapped and Gunn and Safran were installed to take over the franchise with a complete reboot. Will history repeat itself here?
The truth is that the entire DC Universe franchise's future is uncertain at this point. Gunn's statement in response to his exit implied that Man of Tomorrow will still release in theaters next year, but it's not yet known if Skydance plans on dismantling the franchise - which is honestly still in its very early days - or simply redirecting it after the Superman sequel. Regardless of whether there is a soft reboot or a complete reboot, will The People v. Gorilla Grodd fit with Skydance's new vision?
We can only look to Lanterns for guidance at this point. The DCU TV series set viewing figure-records for HBO Max and earned critical acclaim for its gritty, serious approach to what has been an otherwise colorful, cheery shared universe. Its overperformance led DC Studios to consider renewing it for a second season, but Skydance reportedly has opted against that. If a success story of that caliber can't get past the new leadership, does Grodd even stand a chance? First or second season.
Gorilla Grodd is a legendary DC Comics villain normally associated with The Flash. A telepathic gorilla who considers himself superior to all of mankind, he becomes a constant thorn in the side of the Scarlet Speedster, graduating to a Justice League-level threat from time-to-time. His only previous appearance in a live-action project came in The CW's long-running Flash TV series, in which he was a recurring villain throughout its nine-season run.
Will the DC Universe's version manage to follow in the footsteps of the Arrowverse's Grodd and become a force within the franchise? Or will The People v. Gorilla Grodd - and the rest of the DC Universe as a whole - not see the light of day?
The next few days, weeks, and months will be very telling for the franchise's future. Here's hoping that it involves the Jimmy Olsen spinoff actually making it to our screens next year.
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