Summary
Diablo Cody, one of the writers behind the cancelled live-action Powerpuff Girls show, looks back on the experience. She clarified that the series would explore the Powerpuff Girls as disillusioned adults who felt they had been exploited like child stars when they were superheroes. Cody also said she wasn’t aware that a Powerpuff Girls script had leaked years ago, and said it could’ve been a very early draft, as many were written.
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The co-writer of the cancelled Powerpuff Girls CW show speaks out about the leaked script for the pilot. In 2020, a reboot of the Cartoon Network classic Powerpuff Girls was met with skepticism and confusion. The CW announced a live-action sequel was in the works that year, starring Chloe Bennet as Blossom, Dove Cameron as Bubbles, and Yana Perault as Buttercup. After a tumultuous production and the exit of Bennet in 2021, the series was eventually scrapped.
Ahead of her latest movie Lisa Frankenstein, co-writer Diablo Cody discusses with The Wrap the leaked Powerpuff Girls script and why the show had been cancelled before it had the chance to premiere. She reveals she was unaware of the leaked script, stating that it could have been any number of drafts that were worked on ahead of shooting. Cody is still hopeful that a live-action Powerpuff Girls could hit the screen, but understands that it won’t be hers. She says:
There were honestly a lot of issues. It’s a bummer. I was really bummed out about that. Heather Regnier and I, who created it together, we were very, very excited about that show. But it just didn’t pan out. And sometimes things just don’t. I mean, to be honest, like, most of the time, things don’t.
So the idea was that the Powerpuff Girls were adults, and they were really disillusioned because they felt that they had almost been exploited, like child stars, when they were young superheroes. And so they hadn’t really used their powers in years. And then Townsville was under attack once again, and they realized that they had to get over their differences and reunite.
I think just in general, making the Powerpuff Girls adults was a challenge, because it would have probably been easier to just do a straight live-action adaptation of the existing show. But we wanted to do something kind of weird.
[Regarding the leaked script] Chances are, there’s so many drafts, and so many different versions of scripts by the time that they go to production, that it’s possible that what leaked was maybe — I mean, I guess it could have been the shooting script, but it also could have just been a remnant from development. I don’t know. Because I also wrote, I wrote a half hour version, I wrote an hour version, it was at a streamer, then it was at The CW. So it’s like, there was a lot of iterations of live-action Powerpuff Girls.
What Was In The Leaked Powerpuff Girls Script?
Upon reading the leaked script, the internet was taken aback with how different it was from the classic Powerpuff Girls. As Cody suggested, the show would follow Gen Z problems. Yet, what was leaked may have put off those who grew up with the original show. The script tackled issues like heteronormative ideals, leaked nudes, mind-altering substances, and revealing the original cartoon was a “whitewashed” series that Professor Utonium sold to a network. It was met with plenty of backlash and mockery. This reaction, along with criticism from original creator Craig McCracken, left the series dead in the water.
McCracken revealed in late 2023 that he had only met with the studio one time while the rebooted Powerpuff Girls was in production. This came well after the project itself had been scrapped. He felt that the series was taking the wrong steps in aging up the Powerpuff Girls, stating:
“I had one meeting with them and I told them, ‘When you turn them into adults, they’re no longer the Powerpuff Girls because if they’re adults, that’s just three super girls who don’t have to deal with being kids.’ That’s a completely different show.”
The internet and McCracken seemed to have been on the same page when it came to the cancelled Powerpuff Girls. However, the clarification from Cody does lead one to wonder what might have been if the creative team were allowed to pursue their final vision. The idea of the three girls re-embracing their image after moving beyond it is interesting. Coupled with modern struggles, it may have resonated with those who grew up with it. The live-action series never got the opportunity to work, but audiences can still expect a new Powerpuff Girls animated series by McCracken in the future.
Source: The Wrap
Powerpuff Girls
The Powerpuff Girls is an animated comedy series that chronicles the adventures of three super-powered little girls created by a professor in an accidental lab experiment. Setting out to make his own little girl, Professor Utonium’s experiment goes awry and creates Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, each with unique powers. The three girls are then asked by the mayor and other citizens to help protect the city, all while attending kindergarten and trying to live an everyday life.
Release Date November 18, 1998
Cast Cathy Cavadini , Tara Strong , E. G. Daily , Tom Kane , Tom Kenny , Roger Jackson , Jennifer Hale , Jeff Bennett , Jennifer Martin , Jim Cummings
Seasons 6
Writers Craig McCracken , Amy Keating Rogers
Network Cartoon Network
Franchise(s) The Powerpuff Girls
Directors Craig McCracken , Brian Larsen , John McIntyre , Randy Myers , Genndy Tartakovsky , Robert Alvarez , Chris Savino
Showrunner Craig McCracken