DC Crime: Jimmy Olsen Is Getting a True-Crime Spin-Off at HBO Max
Picture this: Jimmy Olsen with a mic, chasing down the kind of story that makes seasoned reporters bite their nails. That's the hook for DC Crime, a new Superman spin-off in development at DC Studios and HBO Max.
Skyler Gisondo (movies and tv series) is back as The Daily Planet's Jimmy Olsen. And he won't just be in the background this time - he'll be the one (movies and tv series) walking us through the case.
What the show is
According to Variety, DC Crime "would be presented as a true crime docuseries that would be hosted by Jimmy Olsen." The first season zeroes in on Gorilla Grodd - the super-intelligent, telepathic ape best known for clashing with The Flash.
That premise alone tells you the tone: grounded reporting meets super-powered fallout. And maybe a little chaos along the way.
Who's making it
American Vandal creators Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault (movies and tv series) are writing, executive producing, and serving as showrunners. If you remember how Vandal turned a straight-faced doc format into something strangely sincere and hilarious, you can guess why they were tapped.
James Gunn (movies and tv series) and Peter Safran (movies and tv series) are executive producing for DC Studios, with Galen Vaisman overseeing production. Warner Bros. Television is the studio behind it.
Why this could work
Jimmy's always been the guy with a camera and a knack for getting in over his head. Letting him "host" a case file fits. It also opens a lane DC hasn't used much on TV: stories about the city (movies and tv series), the witnesses, the weird evidence - not just the punch-ups.
And Grodd's a smart first target. He's scary, theatrical, and packed with lore, which gives a docu-style series plenty to pull on: footprints, mind control, whispers in alleyways. The kind of case board that gets crowded fast.
A quick Grodd refresher
- Created by John Broome (movies and tv series) and Carmine Infantino (movies and tv series); first appeared in The Flash #106 (May 1959).
- Powers: super strength and speed, plus telepathy and telekinesis. Not your average perp.
- He's popped up everywhere - from Super Friends and Justice League to Batman: The Brave and the Bold and Harley Quinn. He's in Batman Ninja and was playable in Injustice 2.
- Live-action fans met him in the Arrowverse via The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow.
What we're watching for
Will the style lean hard into mock-doc comedy like American Vandal, or land closer to a straight crime case that just happens to feature a telepathic gorilla? Either way, the format lets DC build out its universe from the street level, one case at a time.
Release details weren't shared yet. But the pieces are in place, and the premise is clear. If they stick the tone, this could be the rare superhero show that makes you laugh, lean in, and rewind the "did they just say Grodd?" moment in the same episode.
Bottom line
DC Crime hands the mic to the guy who's always been there with the notebook. And if you care about crime and mystery TV, this is one to track - because it treats a superhero city like a beat. Not a backdrop.
