Back in 2023, The CW made headlines when it canceled a much-anticipated live-action series featuring the grown-up Powerpuff Girls, following a series of reported challenges. Recently, a teaser video that offers a glimpse into what the show could have been like has emerged online, sparking curiosity and discussion among fans. The video, which surfaced on the YouTube channel "Lost Media Busters," was quickly taken down due to a copyright claim by Warner Bros. Entertainment. This three-and-a-half-minute trailer sets the stage for a darker, more mature take on the beloved characters.
In the trailer, we see Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup as young adults navigating life away from home. Blossom, portrayed by Chloe Bennet, is depicted as stressed and burnt out. Bubbles, played by Dove Cameron, turns to drinking, while Buttercup, portrayed by Yana Perrault, is shown as rebellious and challenging gender norms. The plot thickens when the trio accidentally kills a human named Mojo and subsequently flees Townsville. Years later, they return to visit their father, Professor Utonium, played by Donald Faison, only to find themselves facing Mojo's adult son, Jojo, who has become the mayor of Townsville. Jojo has brainwashed the town's residents and is out for revenge. The trailer includes edgy humor, with references to juggalos and a provocative comment from Buttercup about Jojo's vendetta against Blossom.
The CW has confirmed to Variety that the footage is authentic, though it was not an official trailer intended for public release. The live-action Powerpuff Girls project was first announced in 2020 but faced numerous setbacks, including an unsuccessful pilot and the 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."
