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

In 2023, The CW's live-action Powerpuff Girls series faced cancellation after production troubles. A leaked teaser, since removed by Warner Bros. Entertainment from the "Lost Media Busters" YouTube channel, offers a glimpse into the show's potential. The three-and-a-half-minute trailer depicts the now-adult Powerpuff Girls—Blossom (Chloe Bennet), Bubbles (Dove Cameron), and Buttercup (Yana Perrault)—navigating adulthood's challenges. Blossom is stressed and burnt out, Bubbles struggles with alcohol, and Buttercup embraces rebellion and challenges gender norms.

The trailer shows the sisters accidentally killing Mojo, fleeing Townsville, and returning years later to their father, Professor Utonium (Donald Faison). They confront Mojo's adult son, Jojo, the brainwashed mayor of Townsville, seeking revenge. The tone is described as "edgy," featuring humorous moments like Bubbles' juggalo joke and Buttercup's comment about Jojo's feelings for Blossom.

The CW confirmed to Variety that the footage is authentic but was never intended for public release.

Initially announced in 2020, the series faced setbacks, including a rejected pilot and Bennet's departure. CW chairman and CEO Mark Pedowitz explained the pilot's failure, stating, “The reason you do pilots is because sometimes things miss, and this was just a miss…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.”