Before James Gunn and Peter Safran's shocking DCU exit (it's said that they learned of their ousting either last Friday or on Monday morning), the only live-action projects in active production were Man of Tomorrow and The People vs. Gorilla Grodd.
The latter is a mockumentary set in the DCU that revolves around Skyler Gisondo's Jimmy Olsen and Gorilla Grodd going on trial for murder. The decision to move forward with an entire series about the Superman supporting character has raised eyebrows, while set photos showing a wildly comedic take on Grodd have led to disappointment for those eager to see him battle The Flash.
As of now, Man of Tomorrow and The People vs. Gorilla Grodd are expected to be released as planned. However, if a DCU reboot is coming, then it's not entirely outside the realm of possibility that Skydance scraps both projects, lest they suffer the same fate as 2023's DCEU offerings.
In an interview with ScreenRant, Gisondo was asked where things stand with the series and admitted he's unsure what the DC Studios overhaul means for the HBO Max comedy.
"That kind of stuff is definitely above my pay grade," the actor started, adding, "I do think... I love James and Pete so much. I think they've done a great job, and yeah, I'm so grateful to them both. I think there are 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, but yeah, definitely going to miss them."
Gisondo shared a similar sentiment in a separate conversation with CinemaBlend. "I think there's still a lot I don't know," he acknowledged. "I haven't had a chance to connect with either of them yet. I hope we get to keep working together in some capacity. I love them both a lot."
Between this and comments from Peacemaker stars Frank Grillo, Steve Agee, and Nhut Le, it does somewhat feel like the actors closest to Gunn are bidding farewell to the DCU. They may have assumed that this week's news means the DCU is being scrapped in favour of a reboot, or perhaps know something we don't.
Still, it's worth remembering that we still have no official word on whether Jeremy Latcham intends to keep the DCU franchise going, albeit with a greater focus on DC's heavy-hitters.
Black Tree TV, meanwhile, caught up with Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt this week and asked for his reaction to the news. The actor shared his love for Gunn and confirmed that they'd discussed the possibility of him joining the DCU one day. However, there was never anything concrete in place, be it Batman or Booster Gold.
"We're friends, so we always talk about everything. There were never any concrete plans being made, but there were discussions around how I could potentially fit into that world," Pratt explained, quickly adding, "It wasn't like there was something in motion that won't be in motion because he's not there."
The People v. Gorilla Grodd follows a superintelligent ape who is convicted of murdering his father, the King of Gorilla City. In an eight-part "true" crime docuseries, the Daily Planet's Jimmy Olsen reopens the case, investigating whether Gorilla Grodd was wrongly convicted in one of Metropolis' most famous murder trials.
The Max Original comedy stars Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Jimmy Tatro as Gorilla Grodd, and Superman actors Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant, and Wendell Pierce as Perry White.
The series also stars Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Dan Perrault, Andrew Leeds, and Tim Baltz. Their respective roles have not been revealed. Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault will serve as showrunners, writers, and executive producers, with Yacenda set to direct all episodes. James Gunn and Peter Safran also serve as executive producers.
The People vs. Gorilla Grodd will likely premiere on HBO Max in 2027 or 2028.