'Powerpuff Girls' Reboot Scrapped Amid CW Overhaul
The Powerpuff Girls are no more, at least not on The CW. After being in development for three years, TVLine reports that Powerpuff, the live-action series that reimagined Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup, is officially dead. The series was to star Dove Cameron as Bubbles, Chloe Bennet as Blossom, and Yana Perrault as Buttercup. After pictures from the set leaked in 2021, the show received criticism for how it looked, and the network decided to redevelop and reshoot the pilot. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. alum Bennet then backed out of the project later that year and not much was known about the show's future after that.
Powerpuff, which would have also starred Robyn Lively, Tom Kenny, and Donald Faison, among others, was set to center on the trio as "disillusioned twenty-something-years" who used to fight crime together and now resent having lost their childhood. When the world needs them more than ever, they're faced with the choice of reuniting. The concept would have been an interesting one to see, especially in live-action form, but it seems like it just wasn't in the cards. It also didn't help with the fact that it's just been sitting for two years with no news, and the longer the wait, the harder it is to have it actually go to series.
There's also the fact that after Chloe Bennet left, there were no updates on who would replace her, which might have been another sign that the Powerpuff reboot is on the rocks. It's always possible that it will be picked up elsewhere and maybe even given a completely new look. Powerpuff Girls has always been a beloved series, so if there is still enough interest, at least given how the series would look, perhaps it will find a new home elsewhere. Though as of now, Powerpuff is going back to the lab and will be staying there.
Additionally, Powerpuff is not the only series The CW had in development that they're scrapping. The planned Arrow spinoff, Justice U, would have seen David Ramsey reprise his role as John Diggle, who recruits five young meta-humans to live undercover as freshmen at a university. Meanwhile, female-led Zorro, from filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, and Asian-American-led mystery Jake Chang will also never see the light of day, at least for now.
The CW's Nexstar rebranding is making the network look almost unrecognizable for next season. As of now, only All American and Walker have been renewed, with All American: Homecoming, Gotham Knights, and Superman & Lois still awaiting their fates. It could go either way for the three series, and it's possible the network will even continue acquiring more shows or order others to series. Unfortunately, Powerpuff won't be one of them.