James Gunn Hypes Up Major Flash Villain Ahead of Their Confirmed DCU Debut

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James Gunn, co-CEO of DC Studios, recently hinted at the inclusion of Gorilla Grodd in the DC Universe. Grodd will be a villain in an upcoming HBO Max show centered around Jimmy Olsen, played by Skyler Gisondo (known for his role in Superman). This spin-off will be a unique true-crime series, hosted by Olsen, and created by the team behind American Vandal, Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda.

James Gunn recently posted on X to honor Gorilla Grodd, a popular villain from the Flash comics, as fans eagerly anticipate his appearance in a new show on HBO Max. His post coincided with the 67th anniversary of Gorilla Grodd’s first appearance in The Flash #106.

James Gunn shared a frightening image of the Flash’s gorilla villain and emphasized his dangerous nature and incredible powers. He pointed out that from the very beginning, the character “immediately chose violence (and mind control, of course).”

As a comic book and movie fan, I always find it fascinating to look back at character origins. With Gorilla Grodd, it was pretty much action from the start! When he first showed up in THE FLASH #106 – a story crafted by John Broome, with beautiful artwork from Carmine Infantino and inks by Joe Giella – he immediately went for violence and, naturally, mind control. It was a strong first impression, to say the least!

James Gunn frequently acknowledges important dates like birthdays and anniversaries for prominent DC characters on his social media. However, he usually focuses on characters currently being developed under the DC Studios banner, including Guy Gardner, Mister Miracle, and Clayface.

James Gunn has openly shared his enthusiasm for Gorilla Grodd and hinted at future plans for the character. Last year, he told Entertainment Weekly that he had ideas for Grodd, despite some fans mistakenly believing the character had been written off after his appearance in Superman.

According to Nexus Point News, DC’s upcoming true-crime series is expected to begin filming in Atlanta this spring, around the same time production is happening on Man of Tomorrow. This mirrors the situation last year when Superman‘s filming overlapped with the second season of Peacemaker. Currently, DC doesn’t have any shows planned for HBO Max in 2027, which suggests the true-crime spin-off might be released towards the end of that year.

Gorilla Grodd’s HBO Max Debut May Be Setting Up a Bigger Future

It’s odd that Gorilla Grodd is appearing in the new Superman spin-off, especially since DC Studios doesn’t currently have plans for The Flash. However, there’s a possibility The Flash could join the DC Universe through the upcoming Jimmy Olsen show, perhaps by pursuing Grodd while Jimmy Olsen investigates a story.

It’s also worth wondering how often Grodd will actually appear on screen in his first streaming appearance. It’s hard to believe a Jimmy Olsen show will have enough money to consistently show a large, computer-generated gorilla.

James Gunn might be using the documentary within the DC Universe to introduce Grodd and hint at a bigger role for him in the first phase of his plans. The reporters at the Daily Planet won’t be able to defeat Grodd in the series itself, so it’s likely heroes like the Flash or the Justice League will handle that challenge later on.

Viewers saw brief appearances of both Grodd and the Flash in the DCU’s debut series, Creature Commandos, as part of a vision showing Grodd teaming up with Princess Illana Rostovic to take over the world. But with Rostovic’s death in the final episode, that future seems to have been avoided, leaving Grodd’s plans unclear for now.

I was really intrigued by Creature Commandos and the seeds it planted about Grodd’s future! It seems like he’s always been planning to build an army, potentially with the late Princess Rostovic, and ultimately take over the world. Even though Rostovic is gone, I get the feeling DC Studios didn’t include that storyline by accident – they clearly have big plans for Grodd and his ambitions, and I think he’s still going to try to make it happen.

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2026-02-20 00:05