Live-Action Powerpuff Girls Changes Title, Casts Donald Faison as Professor Utonium

The CW already has quite a lot of buzzworthy pilots for the upcoming fall season, but none have had hype quite like their live-action take on The Powerpuff Girls. The potential series is set to offer a new take on the iconic Cartoon Network animated series of the same name — and now we know two major updates regarding the series. On Tuesday, The CW announced that the pilot's title will now be shortened to just Powerpuff, and that Donald Faison (Scrubs, Clueless) has been cast as Professor Drake Utonium, the creator and defacto "father" of the Powerpuff Girls.

The official casting breakdown describes Professor Drake as quirky, debonair, and a pinch narcissistic, a scientific genius who is immensely proud of the three extraordinary girls he created in his lab. Staring down a midlife crisis, he is determined to repair his relationships with his now-adult daughters.

Based on the original Cartoon Network animated series and characters created by Craig McCracken, Powerpuff will catch up with Blossom (played by Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Chloe Bennet), Bubbles (Descendants' Dove Cameron), and Buttercup (Broadway actress Yana Perrault), who used to be America's pint-sized superheroes but now are disillusioned twentysomethings who resent having lost their childhood to crime-fighting. Will they agree to reunite now that the world needs them more than ever?

Heather Regnier (Veronica Mars) and Diablo Cody (Juno) are writing the script for the Powerpuff pilot and Maggie Kiley is set to direct. Regnier, Cody, and Kiley will all executive produce alongside Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and David Madden.

Powerpuff is just one of several potential series that The CW is exploring for the upcoming season, with the network also giving pilot orders to Naomi, The Lost Boys, and Maverick. The network has also ordered backdoor pilots for the All American spinoff All American: Homecoming, the Black Lightning spinoff Painkiller, and the Nancy Drew spinoff Tom Swift.

What do you think of Faison joining the cast of the Powerpuff pilot? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!