The People v. Gorilla Grodd still has no premiere date on HBO Max, and as of November 11, 2026, even its own star doesn’t know what James Gunn’s exit as DC Studios co-CEO means for the show. Jimmy Olsen actor Skyler Gisondo called its future “definitely above my pay grade” in an exclusive interview published today — two days after Gunn and Peter Safran left the jobs that greenlit it.
Here’s the detail that makes Gisondo’s shrug interesting: Gunn and Safran aren’t actually gone from the project. Both are still credited as executive producers on a show they no longer have the authority to renew, schedule, or kill. That’s the real question sitting over Grodd right now, and Gisondo isn’t the one who gets to answer it — the guy taking over DC Studios on December 1 is, and he hasn’t said a word about it yet.
What Gisondo Actually Said
Gisondo made the comments to ScreenRant while promoting his upcoming film Focker-in-Law, out November 25. Asked directly what Gunn and Safran’s exit means for The People v. Gorilla Grodd, he didn’t pretend to have an answer: “That kind of stuff is definitely above my pay grade.” He followed it with genuine warmth for the outgoing executives rather than diplomatic distance: “I love James and Pete so much. I think they’ve done a great job, and yeah, I’m so grateful to them both.”
The show itself is unaffected on paper. The eight-episode mockumentary — which follows Jimmy Olsen reopening the Daily Planet’s cold case on whether Gorilla Grodd really killed his father, the King of Gorilla City — wrapped filming in late October 2026 and is currently in post-production. No air date has been set.
Why Gunn and Safran Still Produce Grodd Anyway
Gunn and Safran were named DC Studios’ co-chairs and co-CEOs in October 2022, and their exit on November 9, 2026 ends a four-year run that reshaped the DCU around Superman, Peacemaker, Creature Commandos, and Lanterns. Variety reported the pair spent heavily and lost money without fully hooking audiences, which is part of why Warner Bros. Discovery is bringing in Jeremy Latcham rather than promoting from inside their own slate.
Both men are staying on as producers through the transition, on projects already in motion, including Grodd. That’s the only reason their names are still attached to a show under a regime they no longer run.
The Fan Backlash Already Waiting for Latcham
Gisondo’s non-answer lands in the middle of an uglier argument about Gunn’s priorities. Fans have been openly furious that Grodd and Clayface got full series orders while a Batman movie and a Wonder Woman film are still undated. One widely shared reaction put it bluntly: “You have access to the greatest characters in pop culture, and you’re making projects about Clayface and Gorilla Grodd.”
It’s a fair question about priorities. Lanterns, the Gunn era’s actual TV hit, pulled 9.3 million viewers in its first three days after its August 2026 debut, and an undated comedy about a gorilla is a much smaller bet than that by comparison. That complaint was aimed at Gunn. It’s about to become Latcham’s problem to answer instead.
Here’s the thing: Grodd is probably the single best test case for what the new DC Studios actually wants to be. It’s the most idiosyncratic swing Gunn took — a true-crime mockumentary about a talking gorilla, nothing like the tentpole movies fans are demanding instead. If Latcham lets it reach HBO Max untouched, that says the weirder corners of Gunn’s DCU survive the handover. If it quietly stalls in post-production, that tells you exactly how conservative the new regime plans to be.
Latcham takes over December 1, 2026. Whether Grodd actually airs after that date is a better answer to “what does the new DC Studios want to be” than anything said in a press release — and it’s a more honest one than “above my pay grade.” It’s not just a DC problem, either: over at Marvel, VisionQuest’s own renewal is sitting in the exact same kind of silence, and on DC’s TV side, Lanterns’ own showrunner is already calling his show’s next season a coin flip.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The People v. Gorilla Grodd?
It’s an eight-episode DC Studios mockumentary for HBO Max starring Jimmy Tatro as Gorilla Grodd and Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, following a Daily Planet investigation into whether Grodd was wrongly convicted of killing his father, the King of Gorilla City.
Does The People v. Gorilla Grodd have a release date?
No. As of November 11, 2026, the show is in post-production with no premiere date announced on HBO Max.
Are James Gunn and Peter Safran still involved with the show?
Yes. Both stepped down as DC Studios co-CEOs on November 9, 2026, but remain credited executive producers on projects already in motion, including Grodd.
Who is replacing James Gunn at DC Studios?
Jeremy Latcham takes over DC Studios leadership on December 1, 2026.
Is The People v. Gorilla Grodd canceled?
No. Nothing has been canceled. The uncertainty is about whether the incoming leadership will prioritize it the same way Gunn and Safran did, not about an announced cancellation.
