DC Star Reveals How They’re Bringing Gorilla Grodd to Life, And It Sounds Perfect

As the DCU gears up for its gruesome R-rated horror movie Clayface, it’s also working on perhaps the most bizarre series that superhero fans will have seen in quite a while, and it’s going to be a massive tonal shift from not only Clayface (although those two will be worlds apart) but also the rest of the DCU, even with Superman’s more lighthearted tone at times. Namely, The People v. Gorilla Grodd will center on Superman’s Jimmy Olsen and the villainous DC character Grodd, but it’s clear that the latter won’t be what many comic book diehards are expecting. Set photos have already revealed some truly strange moments, from Grodd riding a scooter across campus to an a cappella performance of “Party Rock Anthem” and so much more.

Now, Jimmy Olsen actor Skyler Gisondo has provided even more insight on Josh Horowitz’s Happy, Sad, Confused show, explaining a bit about what’s going on behind the scenes. In addition to confirming that the mockumentary show has been in the works for quite some time, among other things, Gisondo said, “I’ve never seen anything like it…I think it is in that [American Vandal] world tonally, and then I think the stakes because it’s also, you know, Metropolis. I think it’s sort of like that kind of comedy but with the ante kind of revved up a little bit.” Clearly, the series is going to be truly unusual, but that might actually be just the right approach for the DCU to really make it work.

The People v. Gorilla Grodd Might Be Exactly What the DCU (and the Superhero Genre) Needs

Already, there has been backlash and criticism online when it comes to The People v. Gorilla Grodd, but those critics arguably aren’t seeing the vision. As Gisondo just explained, the series is meant to be a particular kind of comedy, bordering on absurdist humor. Obviously, Gunn isn’t expecting viewers to go into a show that features an actor in a full-fledged gorilla suit riding a scooter and take it seriously, and the fact that it’s a mockumentary alone should make that clear. Undoubtedly, this is not going to land with every audience member, but it might be a risk worth taking. While Spider-Man: Brand New Day just proved that “superhero fatigue” isn’t applicable as a blanket term, and there are some projects that are going to find massive success, it’s nevertheless clear that there is a high bar, at this stage, for movies and shows in this genre.

Taking The People v. Gorilla Grodd in a wildly different direction seems more likely than not to cut through that, and if the humor of it is right—which will be critical—then it could easily become one of those projects that do find success. This is also just a positive sign for the DCU overall. From Clayface and Lanterns to Superman and The People v. Gorilla Grodd, this new era of the DC franchise is clearly not shying away from taking risks and varying the tone and genre from project to project. In a context that sees so much fan frustration, perhaps this inventive, scattershot approach is what the DCU needs to set itself apart. Only time (and perhaps Gorilla Grodd) will tell.

I Think I’ve Figured Out What is Really Going on With The People v. Gorilla Grodd And It’s Actually Perfect