The Powerpuff Girls to become ‘disillusioned 20-somethings’ in gritty live-action reboot, and fans aren’t impressed
A live-action Powerpuff Girls reboot is in the works at The CW, dividing fans.
A pilot for the new Powerpuff Girls remake will catch up with the trio of super-powered sisters as “disillusioned twenty-somethings who resent having lost their childhood to crime fighting”.
According to Variety, the proposed series would answer the question of whether or not the former team reunites once more when their superpowers are needed to fight evil.
The live-action remake was first announced as being in development in August, but has now officially been ordered to pilot by The CW – famous for series like Supernatural, Batwoman and Flash. The pilot’s success will determine wither the network brings Powerpuff Girls into its TV line-up.
But some fans would rather The CW not reboot the beloved cartoon.
Non-binary artist and animator Ella Thompson simply put it: “What the ever-loving f**k?”
Infinity Train got cancelled, Blue Sky studios is closing (my childhood), 450 animators were let go during a pandemic, Nimona got cancelled today, and CW is requesting a live action show of the Powerpuff Girls as adults who resent their childhood. What the ever loving fuck? ?
— Ella Thompson (@Ellathoompson) February 9, 2021
Other fans shared similar disappointment in the news that the camp childhood favourite would be remade as a gritty live-action series.
Me after learning about the live action Powerpuff Girls series https://t.co/dmT1qb2p0l pic.twitter.com/Mwrt9PxPO4— BluRay?ngel (@BluRayAngel) February 9, 2021
One person wrote that they didn’t want the adult-themed reboot, but a continuation where the characters are “careless teenagers spending time at the mall and talking on flip phones”.
i don’t want the cw to make a reboot where the powerpuff girls are gritty adults i want to see more of them as careless teenagers spending time at the mall and talking on flip phones— cybr angel ? (@cybrxangel) February 9, 2021
But some fans welcomed the news, especially with Cody at the helm writing the show.
“The CW is making “Diablo Cody
a live action remake will be
of the powerpuff girls” writing” pic.twitter.com/PUKhzg7rFd— kylee (@alwaysinfeeling) February 10, 2021
Another person wrote The CW’s plotline was interesting but didn’t fit with the show’s wider narratives of family, love and acceptance.
The thing about the whole "The Powerpuff Girls resent losing their childhood to crime fighting" plotline is that it's admittedly an interesting idea but it doesn't work with the Powerpuff Girls series
— ??Imani ?? (@ManiiMade) February 9, 2021
Powerpuff Girls live-action reboot comes from Veronica Mars producer and Juno writer.
The original Powerpuff Girls aired on Cartoon Network and was created by Craig McCracken. The series told the story of Bubbles, Blossom and Buttercup – three pint-sized heroes who were created in a laboratory accident by their father Professor Utonium. The sisters fought supervillains alongside the trials of navigating the normal issues that young children face such as sibling rivalries, loose teeth, going to school or depending on a security blanket.
The animated series ran for six seasons and 78 episodes between 1998 and 2005. The Powerpuff Girls Movie was released in 2002, and a rebooted animated series began airing on Cartoon Network in 2016.
The new live-action project will come from writers and executive producers Heather Regnier and Diablo Cody. Reigner worked on the recent Veronica Mars revival, iZombie and Sleepy Hollow. Cody is best known for writing Juno and working on Jennifer’s Body.
The CW threw in the Powerpuff Girls announcement alongside other orders it made for the channel’s 2021-2022 season, including a reboot for the USA Network series The 4400 and two new projects DC’s Naomi and an untitled religious drama-comedy.
