The CW’s Powerpuff live-action pilot has lost one of its crimefighters as star Chloe Bennet exits from the project, Deadline has confirmed.
The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. alum was set to star as Blossom, opposite Dove Cameron and Yana Perrault who will appear as Bubbles and Buttercup, respectively. Sources say that the actress did not sign a new deal to stay on the project due to scheduling issues. Cameron and Perrault will stay on as the remaining Powerpuff Girls but the search for a new Blossom will begin in the coming months.
Her exit from the reboot comes about three months after The CW’s Mark Pedowitz explained that the live-action pilot will be reworked.
Written by Diablo Cody and Heather Regnier and directed by Maggie Kiley based on the original Cartoon Network animated series created by Craig McCracken, Powerpuff follows Blossom (Bennet), Bubbles (Cameron) and Buttercup (Perreault), who used to be America’s pint-sized superheroes. Now they’re disillusioned twenty-somethings who resent having lost their childhood to crimefighting.
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Robyn Lively, Tom Kenny, Donald Faison and Nicholas Podanny are also part of the pilot cast.
During the upfront call, Pedowitz shared that given the interest and popularity around the Cartoon Network original, the reboot needs to do justice to crime-fighting trio. Though he didn’t specify which specific aspects needed to be reworked, he noted that the pilot’s tone “might’ve felt a little too campy.”
His comments came just hours after a portion of the Powerpuff script supposedly leaked on Twitter and gained some negative attention.
The live-action pilot is produced by Berlanti Productions and Vita Vera Films in association with Warner Bros. Television. Cody and Regnier executive produce with Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, David Madden and Kiley. Erika Kennair produces.
Variety first broke the news.