The Powerpuff Girls | Screenwriter explains the failure of live-action
The Powerpuff Girls | Screenwriter explains the failure of live-action. The live-action adaptation, which was in development by The CW, generated high expectations and curiosity among fans.
By Megan Sauer
The famous Diablo Cody, screenwriter responsible for Juno: Grow, Run and Stumble, Diabolic Temptation, and The Umbrella Academy, among other productions, was also a screenwriter for the canceled Powerpuff series, a live-action sequel to the animated classic The Powerpuff Girls.
Shared interesting details about why the project failed to take off and expressed her disappointment at the outcome.
Why was the Powerpuff Girls live-action series canceled?
The live-action adaptation, which was in development at The CW, generated high expectations and curiosity among fans, but despite filming a pilot and undergoing various creative changes, it was confirmed last year that Powerpuff would not be moving forward.
In a recent interview with The Wrap (via Comic Book), Diablo Cody discussed the challenges they faced during the development of the series, noting that there were “a lot of problems” and calling it “a bummer.
Cody, who created the series alongside Heather Regnier, shared that they were excited about the project, but unfortunately, things didn’t go as they expected.
One of the main reasons behind the failure, according to Cody, was the decision to make the Powerpuff Girls adult characters.
In the interview, she revealed: “We had the idea that the Powerpuff Girls were adults and they were really disillusioned because they felt like they had almost been exploited, as child stars when they were young superheroes.
Even for years they refrained from using their power. And then Jumpy was attacked once again, and they realized they had to overcome their differences and reunite…
I think overall, making the Powerpuff Girls adults was a challenge because it probably would have been easier to make her one direct adaptation of the existing program. But we wanted to do something a little strange.”
This premise, although intriguing, posed unexpected challenges by moving away from the original essence of the protagonists as girls with superpowers.
“When you make them adults, they’re not the Powerpuff Girls anymore because if they’re adults, they’re just three Powerpuff girls who don’t have to deal with being kids.
That’s a whole different show,” said Craig McCracken, the original creator of The Powerpuff Girls, during a meeting with executives from The CW.
McCracken, who met with the network to discuss plans for the live-action series, was clear in his opinion from the beginning. Cody continued:
‘Honestly, there were a lot of problems. It was a pain. I was very discouraged by that. Heather Regnier and I, who created it together, were very, very excited about that show.
But it just didn’t work. And sometimes things just don’t work out. I mean, to be honest, most of the time things aren’t like that.’
The Powerpuff series, first announced in 2020 with Oscar winner Diablo Cody as writer and executive producer, was finally greenlit for a pilot in 2021.
Actresses Chloe Bennet, Dove Cameron, and Yana Perrault were tapped to play the titular roles of Blossom, Bubbles, and Bellota, respectively.
However, after filming the pilot, The CW decided to restructure the project, which led to multiple problems.
Ultimately, Nexstar Media Group, the network’s new owners, abandoned the project after three years of development.
The original premise would have shown the Powerpuff Girls as disillusioned twenty-somethings who, after wasting their childhood fighting crime, agree to reunite when the world needs them more than ever.
In addition to the protagonists, the cast included Donald Faison as the Professor/Father of the superpowered sisters and Tom Kenny reprising his role as narrator from the original animated series.
