The People vs. Gorilla Grodd has reportedly added another relatively obscure DC Comics character.
According to the ever-reliable Apocalyptic Horseman, Ambush Bug will make his DCU debut in the upcoming HBO Max series.
Originally introduced as an incompetent villain in the early '80s, Irwin Schwab (possibly not his real name) was created as a deliberately silly spoof of superhero conventions. As the character grew in popularity, he was reinvented as a fourth-wall-breaking hero.
Ambush Bug has appeared in several animated and video game projects.
During a 2023 interview, Eternals star Kumail Nanjiani said an Ambush Bug movie would be one of his dream directorial projects.
"He's like this news reporter guy. He's weird... It's because there's no pressure on it, you know? If I do Superman, everybody's got a different idea of Superman. If it doesn't match up, they're upset. Ambush Bug, nobody cares about."
TPVGG will star Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen and Jimmy Tatro as Gorilla Grodd, along with Superman supporting players Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant, and Wendell Pierce as Perry White. Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Dan Perrault, Andrew Leeds, and Tim Baltz are also on board in undisclosed roles.
The Newsboy Legion will also appear, and Sara Gilbert (The Connors, The Big Bang Theory) recently joined the cast as "an important journalist", most likely Heather Kelley.
The People vs. 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."
"Between Skyler’s wonderful performance and the fantastic chemistry of the Daily Planet cast, we knew coming out of 'Superman' that this would be a fun world to explore," said DC Studios co-CEOs and TPVGG executive producers James Gunn and Peter Safran.
"We're excited to work with the brilliant Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda to take the audience down some of the darker and funnier streets and alleyways of the DCU as Jimmy spotlights the Metropolis criminal justice system for his docuseries," they added.
Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, showrunners, writers, and executive producers, said: "We’re excited by the challenge of creating a series that feels less like an entry into the DCU and more like an artefact from it. A Daily Planet original documentary made for the people of Metropolis."
"We hope it’ll appeal to fans of the comics, comedy and true crime," they continued. "And while we can’t speak for audiences here yet, we already know it’s a huge hit in Metropolis. They love this series."
Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO & HBO Max Comedy Series, added: "We are thrilled to be working with Tony and Dan, alongside James, Peter, the entire DC team and our colleagues at WBTV, to bring these iconic DCU characters to HBO Max in a new and unexpected way."
"We already know Skyler Gisondo is pitch-perfect as Jimmy Olsen, and we can’t wait for fans to experience Jimmy Tatro’s captivating and hilarious portrayal of Grodd."