The Powerpuff Girls Movie (film)

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For other uses, see The Powerpuff Girls Movie.
The Powerpuff Girls Movie
The Powerpuff Girls Movie poster.jpg
Theatrical poster.
Production company Cartoon Network Studios
Distributor Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date July 3, 2002
Run time 1:13:42
Starring Catherine Cavadini
Tara Strong
E.G. Daily
Tom Kane
Tom Kenny
Roger L. Jackson
Executive producer(s) Craig McCracken
Brian A. Miller
Producer(s) Donna Castricone
Music composed by James L. Venable
Story by Charlie Bean
Lauren Faust
Craig McCracken
Amy Keating Rogers
Paul Rudish
Don Shank
Screenplay by Charlie Bean
Lauren Faust
Craig McCracken
Paul Rudish
Don Shank
Storyboard artists Charlie Bean
Lauren Faust
Craig McCracken
Paul Rudish
Don Shank
Director(s) Craig McCracken
Colette Bennett Sunderman (voices)
Animation director(s) Genndy Tartakovsky
Art director(s) Mike Moon
Title card
The Powerpuff Girls Movie title card.png

The Powerpuff Girls Movie is an American animated superhero comedy film based on the 1998 TV series The Powerpuff Girls. The film was produced by Cartoon Network Studios, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures on July 3, 2002. It was written by Charlie Bean, Lauren Faust, series creator, Craig McCracken, Paul Rudish, and Don Shank, produced by Donna Castricone, directed by McCracken, and voice directed by Collette Bennett Sunderman.

In the origin story of the Powerpuff Girls, we see Professor Utonium create not one but three perfect little girls, who discover that they have superpowers due to the accidental additional ingredient of Chemical X. But when the city of Townsville begins to fear the destructive power of these new citizens, Professor Utonium asks them not to use their powers in public anymore. Chemical X didn't just create something good, though, it created something, or someone very evil, an evil so pure that Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup must gain Townsville's trust quickly in order to save it.

Detailed summary

Memorable quotes

Narrator: The city of Townsville (explosion occurs) is in some serious, serious, serious trouble. Day after day crime, lawlessness, and evil are running rampant. Its citizens have lost all hope. They are utterly helpless. And in desperate need of a true hero. But who? Is there no one who can help this forsaken town and make it a better place? Fear not, fair viewers, for there is a man, a man of science, a forward-thinking man who looks back, back to a sweeter time when there was a spice of life and everything was nice. I must profess, sir, this man holds the ingredients to Townsville's salvation. This man known simply as... the Professor.


Narrator: And, so, for the very first time, the day is saved thanks to the Powerpuff Girls! Hey, that's a very good name for them. Powerpuff Girls, yeah! I like that. Wonder if they will? I'll run it by them. Powerpuff Girls! Mmm-hmm.

Characters

Legend
Character debut Speaking debut Ep. debut No lines Mentioned

In order of appearance:

Character Actor
Narrator Tom Kenny
Professor Utonium Tom Kane
Fuzzy Lumpkins N/A
Lil' Arturo Tom Kenny
Big Billy Jeff Glen Bennett
Ace Jeff Glen Bennett
Snake Tom Kenny
Grubber Jeff Bennett
Mojo Jojo Roger L. Jackson
Blossom Utonium Catherine Cavadini
Bubbles Utonium Tara Strong
Buttercup Utonium E.G. Daily
Ms. Keane Jennifer Hale
Mitch Mitchelson Tom Kenny
Kristen Unavailable
Elmer Skloo N/A
Julie Bean N/A
Clara N/A
Harry Pitt N/A
Boy Unavailable
Girl #1 Unavailable
Girl #2 Unavailable
Man with nice car Unavailable
The Mayor Tom Kenny
Ms. Bellum Jennifer Martin
Cucor Unavailable
Craig McCracken N/A
Donna
Construction worker Unavailable
Withers N/A
News desk reporter Unavailable
Master Shake N/A
Frylock N/A
Meatwad N/A
Linda Grey DeLisle
Talk show host Phil LaMarr
Talk show guest #1
Talk show guest #2
Talk show guest #3
Man in crowd Jeff Glen Bennett
Reporter Phil LaMarr
Jamie Unavailable
Whole lotta monkeys Frank Welker
Rocko Socko Kevin Michael Richardson
Ojo Tango Kevin Michael Richardson
Baboon Kaboom Jeff Glen Bennett
Gogo Po-Trol members Jeff Glen Bennett
Hota Wata Rob Paulsen
Cha-Ching Cha-Ching Tom Kenny
Doot Da Doot Da Doo Doos members Rob Paulsen
Hacha Chacha Jeff Glen Bennett
Blah-Blah-Blah-Blah Rob Paulsen
Killer Drilla Rob Paulsen
Bonzo Bango Unavailable
Rolo Ovo Unavailable
Cruncha Muncha Tom Kenny
Wacko Smacko Rob Paulsen
Pappy Whappy Unavailable
Mother Grey DeLisle
Citizen (voice only) Kevin Michael Richardson
Woman Grey DeLisle
Talking Dog Tom Kane
Don Shank N/A
Citizen Rob Paulsen


Organizations

Locations

Objects

Vehicles

Production

Development

Casting

Filming

There are several deleted scenes on the DVD:

  1. "Townsville Posse:" The Mayor getting the cops to arrest Utonium is extended, with a long winded description of why the authorities are being explained by Ms. Bellum, who reveals her exact job title to be Chief Assistant to the Mayor's Office. The cops also beat Professor Utonium before taking him away. One of the cops is voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson.
  2. "Mojo's Secret Surprise:" Mojo tells the girls that it will take several nights to complete the machine and that they should not tell anyone what they are doing.
  3. "Building Mojo's Lair:" Mojo instructs the Powerpuff Girls to go over the globe for the materials he needs, while the Professor, who has promised officials that the girls will not use their powers, keeps getting calls about their activities. In the final version, there is no exposition from Mojo and the Professor does not get calls.
  4. "Monkey Spit:" A whole scene of the monkey group spitting on running citizens.

The film was copyrighted in 2002.

Music

Taking place at Paramount Pictures Scoring Stage M, the score was composed by James L. Venable. It was orchestrated and conducted by Dell Hake, with additional orchestration by Venable. The music was edited by Joe Privitelli.

The original theme music was also featured and was composed by Thomas Chase, Steven Rucker, and Venable.

While the film didn't get its own CD, "That's What Girls Do" and the new version of "The Powerpuff Girls (end theme)" were featured on Kid Rhino's The Powerpuff Girls: Power Pop on June 16, 2003. On the CD, the latter was retitled "Powerpunk End Theme" presumably to differentiate it to the original version.

Songs

  1. "The Powerpuff Girls (end theme)" - Bis
  2. "Pray for the Girls" - Frank Black
  3. "That's What Girls Do" - No Secrets

Crew credits

Release

Dates are in order of release:

Behind the scenes

  • In theaters, The Powerpuff Girls Movie opened up with the Dexter's Laboratory short "Chicken Scratch."
  • "Mr. Mojo's Rising" first revealed that Professor Utonium originally had Mojo as a pet named Jojo.
  • The opening where Professor Utonium is in the supermarket is somewhat of a tribute to the Dude's intro in the 1998 film The Big Lebowski.
  • Merf is a parody of Nerf.
  • Bubbles is the first to call the Professor Dad.
  • Professor Utonium's vanity plate reads "PRFDADY." It also has the letters "CN" and the date July '02, referencing Cartoon Network and the month and year the film was released, respectively.
  • When the Townsville Tribune covers the rampage the Powerpuff Girls make after their game of tag, it is dated Wednesday, July 3, 2002, the exact day and date the movie was released, which consequently also retcons all the previously aired episodes since 1998 as taking after.
  • There is a picture of Craig McCracken on the front page of the Townsville Tribune. Later, there is an office full of cameos of staff members including Craig McCracken.
  • The line "Now Jamie's crying" is an allusion to Van Halen's 1978 song "Jamie's Cryin'."
  • There are a couple of references to the 1968 film Planet of the Apes:
  • Mojo wants to be king of the planet of the apes.
  • When Rocko Socko has the Talking Dog in his grip, Buttercup says to him, "Get your hands off him, you darn dirty ape."
  • There is a gag credit saying that there were no apes, monkeys, or talking dogs harmed during the making of the movie.
  • Region 1 DVDs contain an audio commentary provided by Craig McCracken and Mike Moon.

Errors

  • When the title card of the movie appears on screen, it just says "The Powerpuff Girls."
  • In "Mr. Mojo's Rising," the connection between the girls and Mojo had been revealed, with the movie filling in more of the gaps, and is written in such a way that doesn't contradict it, but certainly causes issues.
  • The girls fly into an active volcano and into space without hesitation that they could actually survive in either environment.
  • Craig McCracken is credited in the opening and ending as director.
  • Mike Moon is credited in the opening and ending as art director.
  • Charlie Bean, Lauren Faust, McCracken, Paul Rudish, and Don Shank are credited in the opening and ending as the writers.
  • Genndy Tartakovsky is credited in the opening and ending as animation director.
  • Chief of assistant animator is in plural despite there only being one.

Everlasting influence

  • The Mayor's lawyers are reused in "Monstra-City."
  • In "Shut the Pup Up," the Talking Dog mentions the movie when he criticizes the Narrator for not coming up with a better ending to the episode.
  • Rocko Socko, one of Mojo's minions, returns in "Prime Mates."
  • The movie begins the relationship between The Powerpuff Girls and the Gorillaz coexisting in the same universe, which leads to the fictional storyline of Ace briefly joining the band in 2018.

Marketing and promotion

Main article: The Powerpuff Girls Movie/Marketing campaign

Critical reception

Box office

In other languages

Language Name Meaning

Home availability

Trailers

First trailer (without July 3 date):

Second trailer (with July 3 date):

References