Leaked trailer shows scrapped Powerpuff Girls live-action

In 2023, The CW abruptly canceled its live-action Powerpuff Girls reboot after the project faced numerous challenges. Recently, an intriguing unofficial teaser surfaced online, giving fans a glimpse of what might have been - and it's raising plenty of eyebrows.

The leaked trailer, originally posted by "Lost Media Busters" before being removed due to copyright claims, paints a surprisingly dark picture of the beloved cartoon characters' adult lives. We see Blossom (Chloe Bennet) overwhelmed by adult responsibilities, Bubbles (Dove Cameron) developing a drinking habit, and Buttercup (Yana Perrault) rejecting societal expectations in a rebellious rage.

The nearly four-minute footage reveals a bizarre storyline where the now-adult sisters accidentally kill their arch-nemesis Mojo before fleeing Townsville. Years later, they return home to face Jojo, Mojo's vengeance-seeking son who's brainwashed the town's citizens. The trailer's tone blends dark comedy with edgy dialogue, featuring jokes about Juggalos and Buttercup's crude comment about Jojo's supposed "hate-boner" for Blossom.

While CW confirmed the authenticity of the footage to Variety, they clarified this was never meant for official release. The project first made headlines in 2020 but faced continuous obstacles, including a poorly received pilot episode and Bennet's eventual exit, leading to its eventual cancellation.

CW's Mark Pedowitz addressed the failed pilot at the time: "Pilots exist because sometimes concepts don't land as intended. We had complete faith in our talented cast, writers Diablo Cody and Heather Regnier, and producer Greg Berlanti. But ultimately, the execution felt too exaggerated rather than grounded. Recognizing potential elements worth salvaging, we chose to regroup rather than proceed with what wasn't working."