The DCU’s New Jimmy Olsen Series Is Not What Fans Think (Yet)

by

The popularity of shows like Superman, Peacemaker, and Creature Commandos has built excitement for what DC has planned next. News of a potential TV series starring Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, which appeared in industry publications, quickly spread among DC fans, but also caused some confusion and worry. James Gunn, co-CEO of DC Studios, addressed this leak, clarifying that the rumored ‘DC Crime’ project isn’t quite what people are expecting.

One major difference between DC and Marvel Studios is how open they are about their plans. Marvel keeps things very secretive, which actually hurts their ability to market films effectively. James Gunn, who leads DC Studios, is much more open about projects in development. Fans recently noticed his enthusiasm for a unique idea he’d been keeping under wraps, worried another studio might copy it. Rumors surfaced about a spin-off called ‘DC Crime,’ a mockumentary focusing on supervillains, potentially being that project. However, Gunn’s response to these reports suggests the show isn’t quite what people think – and even has a different title.

DCU Fans Are Confused and Concerned After Unsourced Report of ‘DC Crime’ Spinoff

Within minutes of each other on November 10th, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and The Wrap all published the same story. Deadline confirmed the details an hour later, but didn’t reveal where the information came from, even anonymously. The reports stated the project, titled DC Crime, is a parody of true-crime documentaries, created by Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda—the team behind the Netflix series American Vandal. While other characters from The Daily Planet will appear, The Hollywood Reporter noted that neither David Corenswet nor Rachel Brosnahan will be involved.

The first season of the new series will center around Gorilla Grodd, a well-known enemy of the Flash. This created some uncertainty because development on the Flash for the larger DC Universe is currently paused. James Gunn confirmed this in July, stating he doesn’t anticipate seeing the Flash or Aquaman in the DCU for at least two years. While Jimmy Olsen won’t be battling Grodd alone, neither Superman nor the Flash will be stepping in to help. Fans are now questioning how a whole season can be built around Grodd without a major hero leading the charge.

Honestly, it’s all been a bit puzzling. I kept reading reports that Elizabeth Olsen would be involved, and that the show would follow reporters from the Daily Planet as they covered a bunch of different villains. But even with how well the DCU is doing now, a show like that just didn’t seem likely to get many seasons, especially considering everything else going on. If James Gunn was really thrilled about a ‘DC Crime’ series, I think it makes way more sense as an anthology – something he probably pitched to Zaslav. It’s much easier to feature Grodd in a single, self-contained episode, and then move on to other DC villains in future episodes, all while still connecting to the larger ‘Salvation’ storyline. That just feels like a smarter, more manageable approach.

James Gunn Clarified That ‘DC Crime’ Isn’t the Title, and It’s Not Coming in 2026

If this news had been about a Marvel show, Kevin Feige wouldn’t have commented. However, James Gunn addressed the reports himself on social media, clarifying that there was never a project called “DC Crime” in development, not even as a temporary title. He did mention that this specific detail being incorrect doesn’t necessarily mean everything reported is false – for instance, the information about Gorilla Grodd is probably accurate, as it was discussed back in July.

There was another mistake in recent reports: they claimed the Jimmy Olsen series would premiere in 2026. James Gunn clarified on Threads that, given production hasn’t begun yet, 2027 is the earliest possible release date. Even for shows that have been officially announced, concrete release dates are still missing. For example, reports initially stated an HBO Max series would arrive in early 2026, but HBO’s Casey Bloys now anticipates a late summer 2026 launch at the soonest.

Based on what James Gunn has said, it seems likely a spin-off series about Jimmy Olsen is happening, starting with a pilot episode. If the reports are accurate, it may have even been ordered directly to series. It’s probable that multiple news outlets spoke to the same anonymous source. This explains why they could share the information without revealing who told them – and why they mistakenly reported the show’s title.

The fact that all the news sites published their stories around the same time hints that their source likely asked them to hold off until a certain moment. This suggests the source wanted to either create excitement for the new Jimmy Olsen show or see how people would react to the news. Regardless, the combination of correct and incorrect details serves as a good reminder for fans not to fully trust reports about unconfirmed DC projects, even from reliable sources.

Since Gunn’s First Announcement, the DCU Has Changed Drastically

In late January 2023, James Gunn discussed the DC film and TV projects he’s overseeing, collectively called “Gods and Monsters.” He said that Superman, Supergirl, Creature Commandos, and Lanterns are almost finished. He also mentioned Swamp Thing, The Authority, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and the Paradise Lost series, but these projects are currently on hold or have been cancelled, with little public information available beyond brief mentions in interviews and on social media.

The upcoming Jimmy Olsen series appears to be progressing well, but it highlights that even an official announcement doesn’t guarantee a DC project will actually come out. Studios usually wait to announce projects until they’re more certain to avoid looking foolish if things don’t work out. When an announced project does fall through, it can be embarrassing for the studio and the people leading it.

James Gunn had hoped to include Viola Davis as Amanda Waller from the previous DC movie universe. He revealed plans for a series called Waller which will probably show what happens after she’s removed from her position at A.R.G.U.S. and what she does next.

As of September, development is ongoing, with some projects progressing more quickly than others. The Waller series, in particular, is taking a while. If the show gets made, it will probably look quite different from the original plans. The same is true for the planned Jimmy Olsen spin-off; even reliable information reported in the media could change significantly by the time it airs.

If the script for the Jimmy Olsen spinoff is proving difficult to finalize, the person who initially reported on the project may have been trying to protect it. They pointed out that getting a greenlight and having a good concept with a skilled writer and director doesn’t guarantee a successful script. To avoid potential embarrassment for everyone involved, they suggested it might be better to cancel the project altogether. The Jimmy Olsen spinoff could still launch as originally planned, but it’s also possible it will be significantly altered, given to a different creative team, or ultimately abandoned.

While the recent reports are promising, the show is still a ways off from debuting. Details like the show’s structure, the main villain, and which characters—including Lois Lane and Clark Kent—will appear alongside Jimmy and other colleagues at the Daily Planet are still being finalized. Even though James Gunn is usually open about things, he’ll likely keep any surprise appearances—like the one he pulled with Lex Luthor in Peacemaker—under wraps.

A true crime show featuring Gorilla Grodd and Jimmy Olsen is definitely an unusual idea for the DC Universe. However, none of this is confirmed yet, and the series might not even happen.

Fans can look forward to two new DC Universe TV shows, Lanterns and the second season of Creature Commandos, both slated for release in 2026.

Read More

2025-11-23 04:08