CW Developing A Live-Action Series Featuring The Powerpuff Girls As Twentysomethings

TV viewers remember specific cartoons as being major parts of their childhoods. Those who grew up with a certain cartoon in particular may want to sit down if they have not heard the news already: The Powerpuff Girls franchise is getting its own live-action series developed by the CW, with the titular characters being in their twenties and dealing with more adult themes.

The Powerpuff Girls, created by Craig McCracken, aired on Cartoon Network and was a big hit for six seasons, for total 78 episodes between 1998 and 2005. In this series, Professor Utonium (voiced by Tom Kane) accidentally created the Kindergarten-aged super team consisting of Blossom, Buttercup. and Bubbles by combining sugar, spice, and everything nice with the mysterious Chemical X.

Due to the success of the hit cartoon series, it was no-brainer for Cartoon Network to produce a successful animated movie. Released in 2002, The Powerpuff Girls Movie included the show's original voice actors: Cathy Cavadini as Blossom, Tara Strong as Bubbles, and Elizabeth Daily as Buttercup, with Tom Kane as Professor Utonium and Roger Jackson as Mojo Jojo. These actors would later return for 2008's "The Powerpuff Girls Rule!!!" This was a special commemorating the 10th anniversary of the series. The voice actors would also return for a 2014 special called "Dance Pantsed," which was criticized for the drastic change in animation style.

A 2016 reboot of the cartoon got closer to the original animation style, but was met with mixed reception and had its own controversies. It concluded in 2019 with a total of three seasons consisting of 122 episodes. Only Tom Kane and Roger Jackson reprised their roles from the original 1998 cartoon and other material that came afterward.

The Powerpuff Girls could soon be flying again, as a live-action series is now in development at The CW. On the new version of the series, The Powerpuff Girls are now disillusioned women in their twenties who have lost their childhood after all the crime-fighting. Now there is a question of whether or not they should reunite at a time when the world needs them more than ever.

While Warner Bros. Television will produce it, this live-action series will be hailed from writers Heather Regnier and Diablo Cody, with executive producers, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and David Madden. If this show goes to series, with Berlanti having built up an impressive portfolio of superhero content inspired by the many DC Comics characters. The new series would also continue CW's goal of emphasizing representation in their shows.

Of course, CW has had great success in programming more adult-themed reboots with executive producer Greg Berlanti. The news and description of the series is sure to draw comparisons to Riverdale, which is based on the characters from Archie Comics but updates them to suit more modern and mature themes. It has a darker tone and is much less of the comedy presented in the comics. The show is still airing on The CW, going strong as season five will be airing this coming January 2021.

Writer Heather Regnier, who is repped by UTA and Hansen Jacobson, has past credits that include the recent Veronica Mars revival, SMILF, iZombie, Falling Skies, and Sleepy Hollow (the 2013 series)is currently under overall deal with Warner Bros. Television.

Diablo Cody, another established writer, albeit one known for film rather than TV, is best known for writing the critically-acclaimed comedy feature Juno, for which Cody won an Academy Award for best original screenplay in 2008. Her other films include a successful horror film titled Jennifer’s Body, released a mere year after Juno was released. Cody has also worked on a comedy drama film called Young Adult and a comedy film called Tully. As far as TV shows go, Diablo Cody also co-created the Amazon comedy series One Mississippi and Showtime’s United States of Tara. She is repped by WME, MXN and McKuin Frankel Whitehead.

The new series is sure to be met with skepticism from longtime fans, but we will have to see how the new iteration pans out.

Written By Pat Kusnadi

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