In 2020, the CW has revealed its intentions to produce a live-action television adaptation of the beloved Cartoon Network series, The Powerpuff Girls. However, after a two-year development process, it was recently announced that the show will not be brought to screens.
The CW’s Powerpuff was in development under the same producers as the Arrowverse and had already announced the main cast for the show. However, TVLine reported that despite filming concluding in 2021, the pilot episode featuring Chloe Bennet, Dove Cameron, and Yana Perrault was not chosen to proceed as a series.
TVLine was informed by Brad Schwartz, the President of Entertainment at CW, that the network has returned the live-action Powerpuff Girls adaptation, as well as other shows in development such as Justice U and a female-led Zorro series, to the studios for potential sale.
“We’ve already given those back to the studios. So they’re free to develop those and sell them anywhere.”
Before the show’s cancellation, Powerpuff encountered several challenges throughout its development process. In February 2022, news emerged that Chloe Bennet had decided to withdraw from her role as Blossom in the CW series. Additionally, there were initial plans to connect this TV show to the Arrowverse, which seemed unusual considering that The Powerpuff Girls is not affiliated with DC. Furthermore, according to Deadline, the show was expected to undergo rewrites following the leak of a script on social media.
Based on the plot description on IMDb, CW’s Powerpuff revolves around the renowned trio, now in their 20s, grappling with resentment over sacrificing their childhood to become superheroes. They confront a pivotal decision: whether to reunite or pursue ordinary lives, even though the world needs them urgently. Regrettably, the leaked script received mixed reactions as it incorporated humor targeting the original ’90s cartoon and exaggerated the characters’ personalities, leaving some hesitant about the live-action reboot.
Currently, there are no known plans to bring the show to television screens via an alternative broadcaster.
