Powerpuff, The Cancelled Pilot we never had
The Rise and Fall of Diablo Cody’s Live-Action Powerpuff Reboot
In 2023, anticipation surged when news broke that Diablo Cody, the Oscar-winning screenwriter behind Juno and Jennifer’s Body, was developing a live-action adaptation of The Powerpuff Girls titled Powerpuff. Fans of the beloved Cartoon Network series, which ran from 1998 to 2005, were eager to see how Cody would reimagine Craig McCracken’s iconic creation. The original show’s unique blend of action, comedy, and absurdity had captivated audiences of all genders, following the adventures of Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup as they defended Townsville from monstrous threats. Given Cody’s sharp wit and knack for subversive storytelling, the project seemed poised for success. However, after filming a pilot in 2021, The CW ultimately decided not to move forward with the series. So, what went wrong?
The Powerpuff reboot was announced in 2020, with Cody co-writing alongside Heather Regnier (Veronica Mars), under the executive production of Greg Berlanti. Their concept was bold: rather than the adorable kindergarten superheroes fans knew, the trio would be portrayed as disillusioned young women grappling with the trauma of their crime-fighting childhood. The cast, featuring Chloe Bennet as Blossom, Dove Cameron as Bubbles, Yana Perrault as Buttercup, and Donald Faison as Professor Utonium, generated early excitement. But when the pilot’s script leaked online, it sparked immediate controversy.
The leaked dialogue suggested a drastic tonal shift, featuring references to leaked nudes and Gen Z angst that clashed with the original’s whimsical charm. One particularly contentious change involved the villain Mojo Jojo. Instead of the megalomaniacal monkey fans adored, the reboot split him into two human characters: Mojo, a vengeful antagonist who despised the Girls, and his son Jojo, a former admirer turned adversary. The script outlined a dark turn in which the Girls kill Mojo, shattering Jojo’s admiration and fueling his eventual rise to Townsville’s mayor—all while secretly plotting against them.
Fans were outraged. Mojo Jojo’s over-the-top villainy had been an integral part of the original show’s charm, and removing his iconic simian identity in favor of a tragic revenge arc felt like a betrayal. Social media erupted with criticism, with one X user sarcastically remarking, “Mojo Jojo isn’t a monkey anymore? What’s next, no Chemical X?”
Another controversial change that angered fans was the portrayal of Buttercup as a man-hating lesbian. Many saw this as an outdated stereotype, reducing her tomboyish nature to a cliché rather than giving her a well-rounded personality. The idea that a lesbian character must inherently dislike men was widely criticized, with fans pointing out that many lesbians have close male friends. Instead of celebrating diversity, this characterization felt like a reductive trope that alienated viewers. To make matters worse, controversy surrounding the actress Yana Perrault intensified the backlash. Old social media posts resurfaced, revealing extreme radical left views that polarized audiences even further. This only fueled the perception that the reboot was prioritizing political messaging over faithful adaptation.
Even Powerpuff‘s creator, Craig McCracken, voiced his discomfort with the direction of the reboot. In late 2023, he revealed he had minimal involvement and opposed the idea of aging up the Girls, believing it stripped away the essence of what made them special. The Powerpuff Girls, he argued, worked because they were kids confronting the impossible—a core element the reboot abandoned.
Powerpuff the trailer of the cancelled show
Despite the backlash, The CW initially remained committed. In May 2021, then-chairman Mark Pedowitz described the pilot as “too campy” and in need of adjustments rather than outright cancellation. However, after failed rework attempts and the departure of Chloe Bennet in August 2021, the project stalled. By May 2023, TVLine confirmed that Powerpuff was officially scrapped, a casualty of creative missteps and shifting network priorities.
Reflecting on the show’s fate in early 2024, Cody admitted in an interview with The Wrap that its cancellation was disappointing. She and Regnier had been eager to explore the Girls as exploited former heroes forced back into action. The idea of transforming Mojo Jojo into a human villain with a vengeful arc was meant to add depth, but instead, it alienated longtime fans. “We wanted something kind of weird,” Cody explained, acknowledging the difficulty of reinventing a beloved property while maintaining its core appeal.
Ultimately, Powerpuff serves as a cautionary tale of how drastic reboots can backfire. Despite a talented cast and Cody’s signature storytelling, the show’s radical departures from its source material—especially the loss of Mojo Jojo’s iconic persona and the controversial characterization of Buttercup—made it a tough sell. While Cody remains hopeful that a live-action Powerpuff Girls adaptation might still happen someday, her version won’t be it. For now, fans can look forward to McCracken’s upcoming animated reboot, which promises to stay true to the original formula: three pint-sized heroes, sugar, spice, everything nice, and, of course, the real Mojo Jojo.
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