Powerpuff

Powerpuff was a potential American live-action superhero drama TV series produced by Vita Vera Films and Berlanti Productions for The CW. The pilot had been picked up to be filmed for the 2021-22 season, but was put on hold to be reworked, before being cancelled altogether. It is the third series based on the original animated superhero-comedy TV series The Powerpuff Girls, which ran from 1998 to 2005 on Cartoon Network. It was to have been the first time the series depicted the franchise in live-action form.

Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup have grown from childhood superheroes into twentysomethings who resent their past lives. But when the world needs the trio again, they have to decide whether or not to reunite as the Powerpuff Girls.

Development
The series was announced to be in development at The CW in August 2020, with Heather Regnier and Diablo Cody writing the pilot and executive produce, with the help of Cody's Vita Vera Films. Joining them would be Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and David Madden, who would also executive produce via Berlanti's Berlanti Productions. The pilot was officially ordered by The CW in February 2021. Erika Kennair was also announced to be producing. In March of the same year, Maggie Kiley was announced as the director and executive producer of the pilot.

The name of the series was announced to have been changed to simply Powerpuff on March 30, 2021.

Casting
Unlike the original series which features an all-white cast, Powerpuff features a diverse casting. Chloe Bennet, Dove Cameron, and Yana Perrault were announced as Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, respectively, in March of 2021. By the end of the same month, Donald Faison was announced to have been cast as Professor Utonium, who now has the first name of Drake.

In April, additional casting was revealed, with Nicholas Podany as Joseph "Jojo" Mondel Jr., the son of Mojo Jojo, who was an anthropomorphic monkey in the original series, Robyn Lively as Sara Bellum, a love interest to Professor Utonium and ally of the Powerpuff Girls, and Tom Kenny reprises his role as the Narrator.

When the pilot was rejected by The CW and wanted it redone, Bennet dropped out in August due to scheduling conflicts, while Cameron and Perrault were still signed on. Others were having their contracts renegotiated.

Filming
Filming of the pilot began on April 6, 2021, according to Cameron, although director, Maggie Kiley, also announced the next day that filming commenced then. Filming featured the women wearing the girls' classic outfits. Perhaps in response to the confused concerns, The CW released the first promotional image of the actresses in their new adult outfits, as they are not playing children, and the footage that was caught was of a flashback of them as teenagers. Filming of the pilot had wrapped by May 1.

On May 24, it was reported that The CW had ordered the pilot to be scrapped and to start over in an off-cycle capacity. Mark Pedowitz, Chairman and CEO of The CW, elaborated that Powerpuff Girls is a "powerful property" and wanted to get the pilot right which he felt was "too campy."

Cast

 * Chloe Bennet as Blossom Utonium (unaired pilot only)
 * Dove Cameron as Bubbles Utonium
 * Yana Perrault as Buttercup Utonium
 * Donald Faison as Professor Drake Utonium