The Powerpuff Girls Live-Action Series Trailer Leaks, Showing What the Canceled Show Would Have Been

In 2023, the much-anticipated live-action series featuring the grown-up Powerpuff Girls was canceled by The CW after facing numerous challenges. Recently, a teaser video surfaced online, offering a glimpse into what the show could have been, sparking intrigue and mixed reactions among fans.

The teaser, which appeared on the YouTube channel "Lost Media Busters," was quickly removed following a copyright takedown from Warner Bros. Entertainment. The three-and-a-half-minute clip introduced the series' premise: Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, now young adults, have moved away from home. Blossom, portrayed by Chloe Bennet, is shown as stressed and burnt out, while Bubbles, played by Dove Cameron, struggles with drinking, and Buttercup, acted by Yana Perrault, displays a rebellious streak and challenges gender norms.

In the trailer, the trio accidentally kills a character named Mojo and flees Townsville. Years later, they return to visit their father, Professor Utonium, portrayed by Donald Faison. They encounter Mojo's adult son, Jojo, who has become the mayor of Townsville, brainwashed its citizens, and is intent on revenge. The trailer includes edgy humor, such as Bubbles joking about juggalos and Buttercup making a crude comment about Jojo's fixation on Blossom.

The CW confirmed to Variety that the footage was legitimate but not an official trailer intended for public viewing. The live-action Powerpuff Girls project was initially announced in 2020 but was canceled in 2023 after several setbacks, including an unsuccessful pilot and the departure of Chloe Bennet from the cast.

Reflecting on the project, CW chairman and CEO Mark Pedowitz stated, "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."