In a surprising turn of events, a live-action series featuring the grown-up Powerpuff Girls, which was canceled by The CW in 2023, has seen a new teaser video surface online. The video, which gives a glimpse into what the show could have been, was shared on the YouTube channel "Lost Media Busters" but was quickly taken down due to a copyright claim by Warner Bros. Entertainment. The trailer, lasting three and a half minutes, sets the stage for a darker, more mature take on the beloved characters.

In this version, Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup have transitioned into adulthood, each facing their own challenges. Blossom, portrayed by Chloe Bennet, is depicted as stressed and burnt out. Bubbles, played by Dove Cameron, turns to alcohol, while Buttercup, portrayed by Yana Perrault, exhibits a rebellious streak and challenges traditional gender norms. The plot thickens when the trio accidentally causes the death of a human named Mojo, prompting them to flee Townsville. Years later, they return to visit their father, Professor Utonium, played by Donald Faison, only to find that Mojo's adult son, Jojo, has become the mayor of Townsville and is seeking revenge after brainwashing the town's residents. The trailer includes edgy humor, with references to juggalos and provocative language.

The CW has confirmed to Variety that the footage is indeed authentic but was never intended for public release. The live-action Powerpuff Girls project, initially announced in 2020, faced numerous challenges, including a failed pilot and the departure of Chloe Bennet from the cast. Reflecting on the pilot, CW chairman and CEO Mark Pedowitz remarked, "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."