The Powerpuff Girls creator perfectly predicted the failure of the live-action series and warned the CW

Powerpuff Girls Creator Craig McCracken perfectly predicted the failure of the CW live-action series long before it happened. In August 2020, it was announced that a live-action version of Powerpuff Girls was under construction. The CW project would take a different approach than the popular Cartoon Network franchise, seeing Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup as disillusioned young adults. Despite high-profile casting and filming, the live-action adaptation never came to fruition. In July of this year, it was officially canceled.

In the comments at Los Angeles Times looking back on the 25th anniversary of Powerpuff Girls, McCracken shared that he only had one meeting on the live-action CW series and that his assessment was simple. McCracken, who also revealed that he is currently working on a relaunch of Powerpuff Girls with Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe, stated in part: “If they’re adults, they’re just three great girls who don’t have to deal with being kids..” His full quote is below:

“I had a meeting with them and I said, ‘When you turn them into adults, they’re not the Powerpuff Girls anymore because if they’re adults, they’re just three super girls who don’t have to cope with being children.’ .’ It’s a completely different show.

How The Powerpuff Girls Live Failed

The project logline described Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup as disillusioned young adults in their twenties. They regret losing their childhood to fight crime. However, they are faced with the choice of coming together, when the world needs them more than ever. The live-action adaptation would have been produced by Warner Bros. Television Studios, with Heather Regnier (Sleepy Hollow) and Diablo Cody, who wrote the screenplay for Juno, in writing. Sarah Schechter and Greg Berlanti from the Arrowverse were brought on board as executive producers.

A pilot moved forward in February 2021, starring Chloe Bennet, Dove Cameron and Yana Perrault as Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup, respectively. Other actors have been revealed, including Scrubs former Donald Faison as Professor “Drake” Utonium. On May 24 of the same year, The CW announced that the pilot would have to be reworked. The script was leaked later that day, receive a wave of criticism and mockery online. Mark Pedowitz, who then ran the CW, said the script would have to be extensively rewritten. Photos of Powerpuff Girls The set also surfaced online, receiving an equally negative response.

Bennet dropped out of the project in August 2021, citing scheduling conflicts. In May of this year, the adaptation was canceled by Nexstar, the new majority owner of The CW. Two months later, it was reported that Warner Bros. TV no longer developed live-action. Powerpuff Girls, meaning the series will not be reworked for another network or streaming service. The CW seemed interested in replicating the buzz of darkness Riverdalebut as McCracken predicted, it fell flat.

Source: Los Angeles Times