Tag: Cartoon Network

‘Powerpuff Girls’ Creator Returns to Reboot Series

It’s been a bumpy road for The Powerpuff Girls. In 2016, the franchise received a remake from Cartoon Network that surprised many when they completely replaced the main voice cast outside of Tom Kenny, famous for this time as Spongebob Squarepants, returning. Then, CW has been working on a live-action series that would see the trio as teenagers had many scratching their heads. Well, now it seems they are back again but this time with some more motivating news.

The series’ original creator, Craig McCracken, is returning to work on a new set of reboots for Powerpuff Girls, as well as Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends. He’s set to work on the project with Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe. Cartoon Network Studios President, Sam Register, had the following to say on McCracken‘s return:

The Hanna-Barbera homecoming of Craig was an opportunity we could not pass up. Along with his unparalleled sense of fun and imagination, he’s bringing two of his greatest works in ‘The Powerpuff Girls’ and ‘Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends,’ and we are so excited for these characters to be a part of the new legacy taking shape at the studio
Sam Register

While they are moving forward with a second attempt to reboot the popular series, there’s also the highlight that the live-action version of the series is still in some form of development over at CW. Chloe Bennett left the project, as she was originally going to play Blossom, and it’s in a form of limbo as they rework the concept. So, we’ll see which one comes out first.

Source: Variety

July 18, 2022
HBO Max Working on ‘Looney Tunes’ Musical

The whole gang is about to put the tune back in Tunes, as HBO Max and Cartoon Network are actively developing a musical titled Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical. It‘s the second musical reveal from Warner Bros. Discovery after the Joker sequel was teased to take that direction with Lady Gaga in talks to join as Harley Quinn. According to Deadline, the film will feature an original song and dance numbers, as well as orchestrations of some classic WB musicals. The story is as follows:

After starring in a long-running Looney Tunes Broadway smash production, an exhausted Bugs Bunny decides it’s time to trade in sold-out shows for life as a regular rabbit. Ever the spotlight opportunist, Daffy Duck attempts to step into the lead role, but his star ambitions are quickly sidetracked when he is kidnapped by an obsessive fan who has more sinister plans for her favorite stage duck. With his ticket to Broadway retirement in danger, Bugs sets off on a rescue mission to find Daffy and, with the help of his Looney Tunes co-stars, hopefully, his joy of performing again.

Amy Friedman, Warner Bros. Head of Kids & Family Programming, has pointed out that it’ll offer “old Hollywood and Broadway vibes” as it offers the usual mayhem we’re used to from the Looney Tunes. The announcement follows shortly after a preschool series was also announced titled Bugs Bunny Builders. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert‘s Ariel Dumas and Next to Normal‘s Tom Kitt is set to write the screenplay and lyrics. It’ll be interesting to see what this take on the iconic cartoon characters might have to offer for young and old. Here’s hoping Elmer Fudd gets to scream “Kill the wabbit” at least once.

Source: Deadline

June 15, 2022
CW’s Live-Action ‘Powerpuff Girls’ Series Still in Development

CW has recently been busy cleaning house, as they’ve canceled the most TV series they’ve ever had since 2012. As such, it made many wonders if any of their other rumored productions are still being worked on, especially if Warner Bros. is interested in selling the broadcast network. Well, it turns out that the live-action Powerpuff Girls series is still being worked on.

According to TVLine, the series is still in some form of “redevelopment” after the first pilot was passed on and even lost one of its main stars, Chloe Bennet in the process. CW’s CEO Mark Pedowitz has publicly stated that they believe in the cast and writers behind the project, but the pilot just didn’t quite come together as initially hoped.

We’ll likely not hear from the project for some time, as they’ve just missed the cut-off for the 2022/23 scheduling for the CW. But, Powerpuff Girls may enter production on a new pilot by the end of the year. So, once we get a casting for Blossom, who Bennet was originally going to play, we’ll likely know more on the future of the series’ second attempt.

Source: TVLine

May 14, 2022
CW’s CEO Opens Up About Failed ‘Powerpuff’ Pilot

It isn’t an easy process to get a brand new TV series. You have to pitch the concept to the production company, they then sign off on a pilot that would act as a proof of concept. It doesn’t get an early series announcement until that is signed off and commonly, the back nine episodes only are given if the show manages to garner an audience. Not every show gets a second chance, but CW’s live-action adaptation of the Powerpuff Girls got just that. Also, in an uncommon move, CW’s CEO, Mark Pedowitz, gave some insight on the move to rework the pilot.

The reason we do pilots is sometimes things miss, this was just a miss. We believe in the cast completely, we believe in Diablo and Heather, the writers… in this case, the pilot didn’t.

It is uncertain what was the cause for this decision, but he did confirm that it was too “campy” and felt out of place. It doesn’t help that there was a leaked script that may have hinted at the direction the original version of the pilot took. The series has a strong cast with the main trio being portrayed Chloe Bennet, Dove Cameron, and Yana Perreault. They will portray the once superheroic sisters that are in their twenties and disillusioned with the world. Their resentment for having wasted their childhood fighting monsters left them bitter in a world filled with modern technology. Sadly, we might never see the original pilot, but Pedowitz confirmed that they want to stay true to what made the original so popular and we will certainly see this live-action series at some point.

Source: Deadline

May 25, 2021
Official Look at the CW’s ‘Powerpuff’ Girls New Outfits and First Character Details Revealed

We’ve just recently got a glimpse at the upcoming CW live-action adaptation of the Powerpuff Girls. In a recent set video, we saw the trio of Chloe Bennett, Dove Cameron, and Yana Perrault filming the pilot. They were wearing costumes that seemed heavily inspired by the original Cartoon Network show. Well, it looks like CW wanted to tease their new outfits as the girls grow up in the newly titled Powerpuff series. The newly released image confirms that the girls will not be running around in their cartoon dresses, but they will be adapting their clothing style to fit their new lifestyle as they left their superheroics behind.

They also include some first descriptions of how these incarnations of the crime-fighting trio are going to be betrayed in their late 20s. Bennett‘s Blossom is facing her anxiety and trying to become a leader again on her own terms after a life of being a superhero and a Little-Miss-Perfect. Cameron‘s Bubbles seems to have changed the least and still retain her bubbly personality. However, she now has an obsession with recapturing her fame as an adult. In contrast, Perrault‘s Buttercup has been trying to live her own life away from any attention. An uncertain event will force the three to reunite and embrace their destiny once again after trying to leave it all behind.

Source: Variety

April 12, 2021
CW’s ‘Powerpuff’ Adds Robyn Lively and Tom Kenny

CW continues its work on the live-action adaptation of Craig McCracken‘s iconic superhero trio from Townsville. Now retitled Powerpuff, the upcoming series will follow Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup in their 20s. The Cartoon Network adaptation will see Chloe Bennet, Dove Cameron, and Yana Perreault take center stage as the series’ heroines. We’ll also get introduced to Mojo Jojo Jr. He will be played by Nicholas Podany. It looks like they are continuing to round out the cast, as Robyn Lively will join the production as Sara Bellum. She was played by Jennifer Martin in the cartoon. It’ll be interesting to see if they will continue the running gag that her face is off-camera in the show, but now that the girls are adults, it will be a bit trickier to pull it off.

There is also one character making a grand return from the original series, s Tom Kenny will reprise his role as the Narrator from the 1998 and 2016 versions. We don’t know if he will continue to voice the intro to every episode. There is a chance it is simply a node to the cartoon in the pilot. We know that the three will wear costumes close to that from the original. So, it could be that the first episode plays with the conventions of the original before pulling us into am ore adult version of these character’s life.

Source: Deadline

April 9, 2021
First Set Photos of CW’s ‘Powerpuff Girls’ Reveal the Iconic Outfits

Well, it didn’t take long for our first look at the live-action adaptation of the Powerpuff Girls to find its way online. The production has just begun on CW’s now-titled Powerpuff series that will explore the teenage life of the iconic sisters. Dove Cameron, Chloe Bennet, and Yana Perrault are taking on the roles of the iconic characters. The first images offer a closer look at the trio in some easily recognizable outfits for long-time fans of the Cartoon Network series. IT is surprisingly very faithful to the original series with its simple design. TMZ even includes a video of them flying off with Donald Faison‘s Professor Utonium in the background. It seems they are in front o the iconic house from the original series, which seems to have been faithfully replicated for this series.

Luckily, the outfits from the original Cartoon Network series are quite simple in design. It is just strange seeing adults wear them. They still managed to translate them well into live-action and it’ll be interesting to see how they’ll change their look once they embrace the teen angst part of the story. The way it is shot, t almost seems like this is early in the pilot episode when they confront Utonium about spending most of their childhood fighting monsters and villains. It is surprising to see the older version of these characters wear these outfits, as it seemed more like something they would jokingly tease in the background. Either way, it’ll be interesting to see how this design will look in the show and how it’ll tie together with the confirmed appearance of Mojo Jojo’s son.

Source: TMZ

April 7, 2021
‘Powerpuff Girls’ Adds Nicholas Podany as Mojo Jojo’s Son

Here’s an interesting surprise. We’ve all been wondering how the upcoming live-action adaptation of the Powerpuff Girls would tackle some of its more colorful villains. CW doesn’t have a massive budget. So, it would be expensive to bring characters like Mojo Jojo, HIM, and many others. Well, it looks like one classic villain is going to return unexpectedly. The Wrap has unveiled that Nicholas Podany will play Joseph Mondel Jr., the son of Mojo Jojo. He will play a “nerdy, power-hungry, insecure Jojo Jr.”, who is obsessed with the three superhero girls. He ends up struggling to balance his father’s rage and his kindness.

Interestingly, they are adding a son character for the iconic villain. They might be exploring the dynamic between a parent and their children, which would allow Mojo Jojo’s story to parallel Plutoniums. Technically, the villainous monkey was there when the superhero trio was born. So, they might play around with that aspect as well in the angsty adaptation of a children’s cartoon.

Now, the big question also remains if we will see Mojo Jojo appear in the series. The casting of his son may point to something tragic happening to him. Yet, The Wrap doesn’t state that he has faced any tragedy. At this point, anything is possible with the show’s direction. Hopefully, we might find out if other classic villains are joining the pilot, which will kickstart the now-titled Powerpuff series.

Source: The Wrap

April 1, 2021
CW Moves Forward With ‘Powerpuff Girls’ Live-Action Series

It looks like The CW has found its next hit franchise to adapt, as Variety has just revealed they ordered a pilot for a live-action adaptation of Powerpuff Girls. We first heard of its development around six months ago, where it was revealed that CW regular Greg Berlanti and his team from Berlanti Productions are developing a series around the famous Cartoon Network franchise. Their success in adapting Riverdale may have sparked an interest to explore the story of three crime-fighting sisters in their later years. It comes at the worst time, as the world needs them more than ever before. The series joins other orders, such as a remake of USA Network’s The 4400, DC’s Naomi, and an untitled religious dramedy.

It will be based on the characters from the original animated series, which ran for six seasons from 1998 until 2005 before getting a reboot in 2016. This live-action adaptation will be written by Heather Regnier and Diablo Cody. The series will follow the trio in their early twenties, as they resent their childhood for wasting it on crime-fighting. So far, the series has only gotten a pilot, which means that CW still has to sign off on the series before ordering it to series.

It will be interesting to see how they adapt this iconic franchise. There is a chance it might be part of the HBO Max deal, as the production budget might rival Superman & Lois given the wide range of superheroic abilities the trio wields. There is also the question if they will include iconic characters from the series like Mojo Jojo or HIM, who might also require some heavy effects work. For now, we can only wait and see how the pilot turns out and if CW is interested in giving this adaptation a shot. It also opens up the question of which other Cartoon Network shows might be up next for a live-action adapation.

Source: Variety, Deadline

February 9, 2021
CW Developing Live-Action ‘Powerpuff Girls’ Series

No, you read that right. CW has started development on a brand new live-action series based on the popular Cartoon Network show Powerpuff Girls. It will be another Berlanti Production with Diablo Cody, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and David Madden as executive producers. Berlanti is well-known for his work on You, Riverdale, Dawson’s Creek, and the Arrowverse shows. They are certainly no strangers to CW and this seems to be in their wheelhouse.

According to Variety, the show will focus on the titular characters in their 20s. They have drifted apart and are resentful for wasting their childhood fighting crime. So, we can expect a lot of teen angst throughout the series with plenty of drama. We can probably expect something in the vein of CW’s Riverdale meets The Flash.

Of all series to adapt, this is a strange one. It just recently received a remake that was met with mixed reviews. The designs are also unique, so it’s a show that won’t be easy to translate into live-action. CW had quite the success with their darker adaptations of classic IPs. Yet, I am just having a hard time wrapping my head around this concept. Even as they faced some darker foes like HIM, it still was more comedy driven. Perhaps this version will tie-in to the Gorillaz, as Ace from the Gangreen Gang temporarily became their drummer. At the end of the day, I am quite curious about how they’re going to attempt this adaptation. We’ll have to wait and see what they cook up with Chemical X.

Source: Variety

August 24, 2020