DC Studios has landed on a historic title for its Superman spin-off series, which arrives in 2027. The studio was officially established in 2022 when James Gunn and Peter Safran were announced as co-CEOs, marking the dawn of a new era for DC on streaming and in theaters. Their tenure has seen a slew of films and shows announced under titles that changed over time. 2025's Superman was first announced as Superman: Legacy, while the DCU's follow-up movie, Supergirl, was introduced as Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. These title changes show no signs of stopping, and another DC Studios project, this time a streaming series, has now received its name. This one, though, is unlike any alteration in DC Studios' short history.
Reports of a Superman spinoff series centered on Jimmy Olsen first surfaced in November 2025, reportedly under the title DC Crime. In June this year, a Writers Guild of America registry listing seemingly revealed the title as American Villain, a direct nod to the creators' own Netflix series. That, too, turned out not to be final, as HBO Max officially gave a series order to the spinoff on August 21 under the title The People v. Gorilla Grodd, a playful riff on courtroom-drama naming like The People v. O. J. Simpson.
The reveal signaled a historic moment for DC Studios. The series is the first DCU show to feature a traditional villain's name in its title, and the first to not begin with a character's name or moniker. Gunn has described it as "both a Jimmy Olsen and a Gorilla Grodd show," a concept he says was among the first he and Safran pitched to Warner Bros. Discovery, alongside Lanterns, before they even started at DC Studios.
The series is unique in more than its title. It is an eight-episode comedy from American Vandal creators Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, with both serving as showrunners, writers, and executive producers. It follows Jimmy Olsen and the rest of the Daily Planet staff as they reopen the case of Grodd's conviction for the murder of his father, the king of Gorilla City. The mockumentary-style series investigates whether Grodd is truly guilty of the crime.
James Gunn's DCU has been very particular about which titles they assign to projects. Despite several projects being announced years ago, many have yet to lock in definitive names, unlike this Jimmy Olsen spinoff, which finally has.
Upcoming DC Studios Series With Unconfirmed Titles
Untitled Booster Gold Series
James Gunn's Booster Gold show was first announced in 2023 as part of the DCU's Gods and Monsters slate, but to date, it has no proper title. The series has faced its fair share of challenges since then, and while it's still in active development, it has no title, no announced cast, and no release window. David Jenkins, the Our Flag Means Death creator first brought on board to steer the series, revealed in late July that his version was not moving forward at the studio.
Sources close to DC stressed that the series itself remains in development, with the studio opting to retool it under a new creative team. This is not the project's first reset either, as filmmaker Danny McBride explored early drafts before Jenkins came aboard.
Booster Gold will likely get a title once a new writer is brought on board and delivers a satisfactory script. However, given the DCU's current direction, which leans heavily on Superman characters, it could be some time before this show gets the attention it needs.
Untitled Animated Blue Beetle Series
DC explored a Blue Beetle film in 2023, which underperformed for a number of complex reasons, grossing just $131 million worldwide. DC nevertheless gave the character another shot in a different medium the following year. In June 2024, an animated series centered on Jaime Reyes was announced, with Xolo Maridueña, who portrayed him in the 2023 movie, brought on board to voice the role. The series was never given an official title, only ever referred to as the Blue Beetle series.
In July, reports indicated the show was in trouble following HBO Max's pivot away from kids' content. DC Studios has not formally canceled it, though, and if HBO Max ultimately passes, the show could be shopped to another platform, the same move that saved Batman: Caped Crusader.
Blue Beetle will play a role in Man of Tomorrow, which shows how highly Gunn values the character, having called Jaime the "first DCU character." It is possible that the series becomes a priority if Blue Beetle emerges as a fan favorite after the 2027 ensemble movie. If that happens, the show could receive an official title sooner than other DCU series.
Untitled Mister Terrific Series
Edi Gathegi's breakout turn as Michael Holt in Superman earned the character his own series, now in active development. Allan Heinberg, whose credits include The Sandman and the Wonder Woman screenplay, signed on to write the pilot.
The project has no series order, no platform, and no confirmed title. Gathegi currently holds a multi-project deal to play Mister Terrific in the DCU, so the character will likely appear well beyond the series. Interestingly, rumors have swirled that he could feature in The People v. Gorilla Grodd. If true, the brilliant hero could show up in the DCU's first villain-titled series before his own show even receives a title.
James Gunn's Top Secret DCU Series
The DCU also has a secret project it has yet to reveal. Not only does this show lack a title, but its lead character and premise remain under wraps. Gunn has decided to keep the series a secret, likely because those details are too spoilery. He revealed on the official Peacemaker podcast last year that he met with the writer and director of this highly classified show, confirming only that it features superheroes and that the creative team asked detailed questions about VFX costs and costume budgets.
The DC Studios co-CEO previously teased the mystery show to Entertainment Weekly as "my favorite thing in all of this," adding that it is "hopefully getting made soon." In the same interview, he admitted there was one idea he withheld from DC's original slate pitch entirely because it felt "too easy to rip off by another company." Gunn has said on countless occasions that a project does not move forward in the DCU until the script is ready, so he will likely get that sorted before a title is ever made public.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
