The genre of DC Studios' upcoming Jimmy Olsen series, starring Skyler Gisondo, has been confirmed by its co-showrunner, Dan Perrault. Gisondo made his debut as Clark Kent and Lois Lane's awkwardly charming Daily Planet colleague in 2025's Superman, and his adventures are set to continue in his very own HBO Max show. Now, new details about the series' name and genre have been confirmed.
The Direct spoke to Dan Perrault while at SXSW, where his new film, Love Language, premiered. Perrault was reported to be the co-showrunner of Jimmy Olsen's Superman spin-off alongside Tony Yacenda, and he confirmed their involvement to The Direct.
The writer revealed that the spin-off series' official title hasn't been decided yet, with the room "tossing around some names" as recently as the week prior. Some early reports originally titled the series DC Crime (which has since been debunked by DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn):
The Direct: "You're developing the Jimmy Olsen TV series. Will it be called 'Daily Planet,' or is there a different title that hasn't been announced yet?"
Perrault: "It's a different title that hasn't been announced yet. We were tossing around some names last week. We really like, honestly, multiple of them, but all I can say is that it's not called 'Untitled Jimmy Olsen show.'"
Perrault went on to explain how the Jimmy Olsen series would differ from other superhero shows, confirming it would be familiar territory for him and Yacenda, sitting in the "crime mystery comedy" vein:
"Well, it's comfortable territory for Tony Yacenda and I. We've worked in this crime mystery comedy for a very long time... There's definitely tools from that toolkit that we can apply here that I don't think has been seen in the superhero genre thus far."
Perrault and Yacinda were known for creating the mockumentary true crime parody American Vandal, which earned critical acclaim and an Emmy nomination. When news broke of a Jimmy Olsen-focused show, it was reported to be in a similar style, framed as a true-crime docuseries hosted by Gisondo as Olsen. The first season's main antagonist will reportedly be the notable Flash villain Gorilla Grodd.
Perrault's comments confirm that the series is still in the writing stage, meaning it's unclear when it will land in the DCU's expanding schedule. James Gunn already has a second Superman film, Man of Tomorrow, in development for July 9, 2027, for which Gisondo could reprise his role.
Jimmy Olsen's Show Will Add Another Genre to the DCU
To date, the DCU has released three projects, each with a vastly different tone and style within the superhero genre. Creature Commandos was an adult animated series, Superman was a classic superhero action film (with a whimsical edge), and Peacemaker is an R-rated action-comedy. The DCU is also expanding into new genres in 2026 with a superhero space-adventure, Supergirl, a body-horror tale, Clayface, and a buddy-cop crime tale, Lanterns.
News that Jimmy Olsen's show will lean into crime, mystery, and comedy adds yet another unique instalment to the DCU. Gisondo was a breakout star as the lovable Daily Planet photographer in Superman, whose boyish charm made him an unexpected ladies' man. Olsen was also a source of comic relief in Superman, so playing into that comedic nature in his solo series makes sense as the DCU reflects the qualities of its leading characters in its genre choices.
The series will also infuse some of American Vandal's edge with a mystery-and-crime tone. It seems like Olsen's skills as a photographer for Metropolis' biggest news outlet will provide a good framework for exploring this, allowing him to seek out crimes in the city worth reporting. Hopefully, this can also open the door for fellow Daily Planet reporters, like Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane or Wendell Pierce's Perry White, to help him with his investigations.
