"Leaked Trailer Reveals Canceled Powerpuff Girls Live-Action Series"

Back in 2023, The CW's ambitious project to bring the beloved animated series, the Powerpuff Girls, into a live-action format was abruptly canceled amid various challenges. However, a new teaser video that recently surfaced online has given fans a glimpse into what the show could have been. This intriguing sneak peek was shared on the YouTube channel "Lost Media Busters" before being swiftly taken down due to a copyright claim by Warner Bros. Entertainment.

The three-and-a-half-minute trailer, although unofficial and not meant for public viewing according to The CW, introduced viewers to a darker, more mature take on the iconic trio. In the series, Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, portrayed by Chloe Bennet, Dove Cameron, and Yana Perrault respectively, have grown into young adults with their own set of struggles. Blossom is depicted as stressed and burnt out, Bubbles turns to alcohol, and Buttercup becomes rebellious, openly challenging gender norms.

The trailer sets the stage for the series by showing the Powerpuff Girls accidentally causing the death of a human named Mojo and subsequently fleeing Townsville. Years later, they return to visit their father, Professor Utonium, played by Donald Faison, only to face a new threat. Mojo's adult son, Jojo, has become the mayor of Townsville and, having brainwashed its citizens, seeks revenge on the girls. The trailer injects a dose of edgy humor, with references to juggalos and a rather bold quip from Buttercup about Jojo's motives towards Blossom.

The CW confirmed to Variety that while the footage is genuine, the trailer was not an official release intended for the public. The live-action Powerpuff Girls series was first announced in 2020 but faced significant hurdles, leading to its cancellation in 2023. Among the issues were a failed initial pilot and the departure of Chloe Bennet from the project.

Reflecting on the project, CW chairman and CEO Mark Pedowitz stated, “The reason you do pilots is because sometimes things miss, and this was just a miss. We believe in the cast completely. We believe in Diablo [Cody] and Heather [Regnier], the writers. We believe in the auspices of Greg Berlanti and Warner studios. In this case, the pilot didn’t work. But because we see there’s enough elements in there, we wanted to give it another shot. So that’s why we didn’t want to go forward with what we had. Tonally, it might’ve felt a little too campy. It didn’t feel as rooted in reality as it might’ve felt. But again, you learn things when you test things out. And so in this case, we felt, let’s take a step back and go back to the drawing board.”