‘Powerpuff Girls’ Live-Action series in development at CW

Arrowverse architect Greg Berlanti is ushering in a new group of superheroes on the CW.

The network has put in development The Powerpuff Girls, a live-action series based on the original Cartoon Network animated series created by Craig McCracken. The project, featuring adult versions of the three kindergarten-aged girls from the classic animated series, hails from Diablo Cody (Juno, United States of Tara), Heather Regnier (Veronica Mars), Warner Bros. TV and studio-based Berlanti Productions.

The Powerpuff Girls used to be America's pint-sized superheroes. Now they are disillusioned twenty something who resent having lost their childhood to crime fighting. Will they agree to reunite now that the world needs them more than ever?

This new project is from writers and executive producers Heather Regnier and Diablo Cody. Television will produce the series, and Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and David Madden will executive produce via Berlanti Productions.

Created by McCracken, the original animated superhero series The Powerpuff Girls aired on Cartoon Network for six seasons from 1998-2005. It centered on Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, three kindergarten-aged girls with superpowers who all lived in the fictional city of Townsville, USA with their father and creator, a scientist named Professor Utonium. They were frequently called upon by the city's mayor to help fight nearby criminals and other enemies using their powers.

A reboot of the original series, starring Amanda Leighton, Kristen Li and Natalie Palamides, premiered on Cartoon Network in 2016. The most recent third season wrapped on June 16, 2019.

Hulu landed exclusive streaming VOD rights to the franchise in 2016, an agreement that included the Emmy-nominated reboot series and the full classic library episodes.

Cody previously collaborated with Berlanti Prods on Raised by Wolves, a single-camera comedy adaptation of the UK comedy series, which went to pilot at ABC.