Leaked Trailer Reveals Canceled Powerpuff Girls Live-Action Series

In 2023, The CW made headlines when it canceled a much-anticipated live-action series featuring the beloved Powerpuff Girls, who were to be portrayed as grown-up versions of themselves. Recently, a teaser video that surfaced online has given fans a glimpse into what could have been an intriguing take on the classic cartoon. The video, which appeared on the YouTube channel "Lost Media Busters," was quickly removed due to a copyright claim by Warner Bros. Entertainment. However, it provided a three-and-a-half-minute look into the series' darker and more mature direction.

The trailer introduced viewers to the adult lives of Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, portrayed by Chloe Bennet, Dove Cameron, and Yana Perrault, respectively. In this version, Blossom is depicted as stressed and burnt out, Bubbles struggles with alcohol, and Buttercup is rebellious and challenges gender norms. The plot thickens as the trio accidentally causes the death of a character named Mojo and subsequently flees Townsville. Upon their return years later, they find themselves confronting Mojo's adult son, Jojo, who has become the mayor and is bent on revenge after brainwashing the city's residents. The trailer also includes edgy humor, such as references to juggalos and suggestive comments, showcasing a stark departure from the original series' light-hearted tone.

Official images of the three Powerpuff Girls from CW's live-action effort: Dove Cameron, Chloe Bennet, and Yana Perrault.

The CW has confirmed to Variety that while the footage is authentic, it was never meant for public release. The live-action Powerpuff Girls project was initially announced in 2020 but faced numerous challenges, including an unsuccessful pilot and the eventual departure of Chloe Bennet from the cast. CW chairman and CEO Mark Pedowitz commented on the pilot's failure, stating, “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.”

This glimpse into the unaired series has sparked discussions among fans and critics alike, pondering what could have been if the show had managed to overcome its production hurdles.