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 what might have been. The three-and-a-half-minute trailer depicts the now-adult Blossom (Chloe Bennet), Bubbles (Dove Cameron), and Buttercup (Yana Perrault) navigating adulthood. Blossom is stressed and burnt out, Bubbles struggles with alcohol, and Buttercup rebels against gender norms.
The CW confirmed the footage's authenticity to Variety, clarifying it was an unofficial, unreleased trailer.
Initially announced in 2020, the series' cancellation in 2023 followed setbacks including a rejected pilot and Chloe Bennet's departure. CW chairman and CEO Mark Pedowitz explained the pilot's failure, stating it felt "too campy" and lacked the desired grounded reality. He indicated a retooling was considered before ultimately abandoning the project.
