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Cartoon Network’s decline in 2025 marks a fading legacy, with the channel shrinking amid streaming shifts and Comcast’s latest move.

The Tl;Dr… Current Struggle: Down to 66 million U.S. households, with reduced hours and content scattered across Hulu, Netflix, and Max. Rich History: Launched in 1992, it shaped kids’ TV with classics like The Powerpuff Girls and Adventure Time. Decline Timeline: Hit by viewership drops, studio closures, and content purges since the 2010s. Comcast Move: Dropped from core TV packages on August 12, 2025, now a $9.95 add-on. Legacy Lost: The iconic brand is overshadowed by cost-cutting and a streaming focus.

Cartoon Network, as we’ve known it, is basically toast.

If you grew up with Cartoon Network (Cn) as your animated escape—marathoning Dexter’s Laboratory after school or losing hours to Adventure Time’s quirky worlds—it’s tough to watch it fade into the background. The network that turned...

HBO Max isn’t just stacking prestige dramas and superhero flicks; it’s quietly becoming a goldmine for Cartoon Network nostalgia. And yeah, we’re dying to dive in. Since launching in May 2020, HBO Max has stacked its library with Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. animation, be it classics, deep cuts, and binge-worthy gems.

You’ve got Looney Tunes Cartoons bringing Bugs and Daffy back in brand-new 11-minute chaos. Jellystone! tosses Yogi Bear, Snagglepuss, and Jabberjaw into one ridiculous Hanna-Barbera mashup. The Fungies! and Tig ‘N Seek hit the sweet spot for quirky comedy, while Tooned Out, from Robert Zemeckis, plays like Roger Rabbit for a new era.

The platform also digs deep with over 250 classic Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies episodes. Plus, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Popeye, and Josie and the Pussycats are all here and ready to fuel your weekend marathon.

Whether you’re after slapstick or retro charm,...

The "gritty young-adult remake" was all the rage back in 2020. The success of "Riverdale" had opened the floodgates, leading to similar but perhaps less well-thought-out series like Netflix's "Fate: The Winx Saga" (adapting the early 2000s cartoon "Winx Club") and DC's "Titans". Some, like "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" (a reboot of "Sabrina the Teenage Witch"), were more successful than others. But the gold rush to find the next nostalgic children's property to darkify was on, so it was both baffling and entirely unsurprising when news broke of a gritty, live-action reboot of "The Powerpuff Girls" being announced at The CW.

The venue was the only thing that made that wild pitch somewhat easier to swallow. As the home of "Riverdale," The CW was effectively ground zero for the "What if Ben 10 went to Euphoria High?" approach to TV writing. Even still, the chosen subject felt a bit too...

The ’90s and early ’00s were a new golden era for TV animation, a time when shows could come not from executives and board rooms, but from people with a unique creative vision. Nickelodeon exploded unto the scene with “Doug,” “Rugrats,” and “The Ren & Stimpy Show” before Cartoon Network responded a few years later with their first original cartoons starting with “Dexter’s Laboratory.”

That show helped establish Cartoon Network as an incubator of talent and ideas, an incubator that would later become a studio when Cartoon Network Studios was properly founded as a separate entity from Hanna-Barbera and Warner Bros. Animation 25 years ago. Continuing the spirit of experimentation and creatively driven projects from the early days of the network, the studio’s first show was unlike anything else at the time, a genre-bending action show with little dialogue, born out of complaints from its creator, Genndy Tartakovsky.

“I had...

Five years after the last iteration of Steven Universe ended, the show’s, uh, universe is expanding again.

A sequel series focused on supporting character Lars Barriga is in the works at Prime Video. Steven Universe: Lars of the Stars comes from the original show’s creator, Rebecca Sugar, and supervising director Ian Jones-Quartey, who will executive produce. Cartoon Network Studios is behind the project, which was announced Tuesday at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

Steven Universe ‘Lars of the Stars’ Cartoon Network Studios

Sugar announced the new show at Annecy after giving a live performance of one of her original songs, written for Cartoon Network’s hit Adventure Time series.

At the same session for Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe, Cartoon Network announced an Adventure Time spin-off, Adventure Time: Side Quests, and season 10 renewal for Teen Titans Go!.

Lars of the Stars, per its logline,...

Cartoon Network Studios celebrated its 25‑year legacy at Annecy International Animation Film Festival, reuniting two generations of creators whose work reshaped the landscape of TV animation.

Tuesday’s panel brought together industry pioneers Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack) and Craig McCracken (The Powerpuff Girls, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends) with second‑generation voices Pendleton Ward (Adventure Time), Rebecca Sugar (Steven Universe), J.G. Quintel (Regular Show) and Adam Muto (Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake).

Tartakovsky reflected on how drastically the creative landscape has changed, noting that when he and McCracken were first coming up — both got their start at the storied Hanna-Barbera studio — animation was in crisis.

“When we got to Hanna-Barbera, everybody was beaten down. They were like survivalists,” he recalled. “When we came in, they didn’t even put us in the building, they put us in the trailer outside the building by the highway.”

“It...

In an intimate and candid discussion at this year’s Annecy Animation Festival, the biggest names behind some of television’s most iconic animated series met with Variety to talk legacy, change and the shifting landscape of the medium they helped define.

Creators Craig McCracken (“The Powerpuff Girls” “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends”), Genndy Tartakovsky, Rebecca Sugar (“Steven Universe”), Pendleton Ward and J.G. Quintel (“Regular Show”) and “Adventure Time” executive producer and showrunner Adam Muto opened up about the origins of their work, a new era of creation and what it means to still be pushing boundaries after decades in the business.

The conversation ranged from nostalgic memories of Cartoon Network Studio’s golden era – Annecy hosted a celebratory 25th anniversary panel for the studio on Tuesday afternoon – to bold speculation about the future of animation. At its core was the recognition that while technology, audience behavior and corporate structures have transformed dramatically,...

The creators of some of Cartoon Network's biggest hits talk about "breaking the system" during the network's heyday.

Per Deadline, Dexter's Laboratory creator Genndy Tartakovsky andThe Powerpuff Girlscreator Craig McCracken discussed their experiences "breaking the system" at Cartoon Network in its prime. Tartakovsky recalled being largely looked down upon by Cartoon Network veterans after Dexter's Laboratory was greenlit. "We were breaking the system and they didn’t like that," Tartakovsky said.

"They were survivalists and we had been given an opportunity they had been working their whole lives for," the Dexter's Laboratory creator explained. "I felt a bit bad for them but we were given this golden opportunity, this one seven-minute show. And to be fair some of the old guard loved what we were doing." Tartakovsky went on to open up about being so overwhelmingly concerned with being fired that he "didn't have a minute to...

If he was starting out today, Dexter’s Laboratory creator Genndy Tartakovsky would “make cartoon after cartoon until something hits.”

That was Tartakovsky’s pearl of wisdom delivered to a packed Annecy audience as he celebrated 25 years of Cartoon Network Studios with a sextet of creators of some of the biggest American cartoons of all time, including The Powerpuff Girls, Adventure Time and Steven Universe.

Tartakovsky, who is also in Annecy promoting Netflix’s Fixed, figures it’s easier than ever to get your big break because young cartoonists can flood YouTube with ideas.

“It’s partly independent now because you can make it and put it on your own kind of cable channel,” he added. “That’s what I’d do [if I were starting now]. I’d work a day job and then at night I’d make cartoon after cartoon until something hits. It was more difficult when we were coming up.

The Annecy International Animation Festival has unveiled the line-up for its 2025 edition, running from June 8 to 14. (scroll down for full list of Official Selection titles)

Having previously announced Michel Gondry as an honorary guest, the festival will also celebrate UK Oscar nominee Joanna Quinn (Affairs of the Art) and The Simpsons creator Matt Groening with honorary Cristal awards.

Twenty-one feature films will be showcased in the festival’s Main Competition and Contrechamp Competition, selected from 130 submissions.

Main competition titles include Sylvain Chomet’s Marcel Pagnol tribute A Magnificent Life as well as Félix Dufour-Laperrière’s Death Does Not Exist, and Dandelion’s Odyssey by Momoko Seto, and Ugo Bienvenu’s Arco.

In a break with tradition, the opening night will world premiere a selection of five shorts rather than a single feature animation.

“After a historic 2024 edition, with a record attendance of 17,400 badge-holders, and all this despite a difficult context for the industry,...

Warner Bros. Animation will unveil upcoming series “Get Jiro” and “Bat-Fam” at France’s Annecy Intl. Animation Film Festival during its Behind-the-Scenes panels.

In further news, Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe will also present this year’s official Annecy Festival trailer, overseen by executive producer Ben Bocquelet and director Grant Orchard. Directed by Grant Orchard with Ben Bocquelet as executive producer, it features Bugs Bunny and other Warner Bros. iconic characters making their way to the festival.

“Get Jiro” is based on the New York Times bestselling DC/Vertigo graphic novel and set in a not-too-distant future Los Angeles, where master chefs rule the town and “people literally kill for a seat at the best restaurants. A mysterious sushi master named Jiro enters a bloody culinary war to craft his recipe for revenge,” promised the team.

“Bat-Fam” will follow the events of “Merry Little Batman,” and Batman, Alfred and young Damian...

The Annecy International Animation Film Festival is nearly here. The annual film festival and market takes place from June 8 to June 14, in a gorgeous town that served as the inspiration for Belle’s village in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”. This year’s slate is overflowing with must-see screenings and panels.

Among the special screenings this year are Andy Serkis’ long-awaited take on George Orwell’s “Animal Farm,” Michel Gondry’s “Maya, Give Me Another Title” (he’ll also be receiving an Honorary Cristal Award this year “in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the vitality of animation”), Genndy Tartakovsky’s R-rated “Fixed” and “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Squarepants,” the new feature from Paramount Animation. Additionally, Pixar will screen their new feature “Elio.”

There will be exciting presentations from Disney, who will reveal a first-look at footage from “Zootopia 2,” courtesy of director (and Walt Disney Animation Studios Cco) Jared Bush,...

Early Cartoon Network was a wild time for imagination in animation. After being created mostly to just air classic Warner Bros., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Hanna-Barbera cartoons, the mid-'90s saw Cartoon Network get into original programming with the introduction of Cartoon Cartoons. These were animated shorts that later got turned into full animated series like "Dexter's Laboratory," "Johnny Bravo," "Cow and Chicken," "Courage the Cowardly Dog," and "The Powerpuff Girls" -- shows that remain some of the best of the past 30 years. It was a time of great experimentation without a house style or a formula that allows for a series of cartoons that pushed the medium forward in visual style, tone, kineticism, and characters.

Many of these shows shared a lot of the same crew, with the very first Cartoon Cartoon, "Dexter's Laboratory," staffing future legends of the medium like Rob Renzetti, Seth MacFarlane, Butch Hartman, and "The Powerpuff Girls...

Powerpuff Girls TV Return(Photo Credit –Prime Video)

The Powerpuff Girls are making a triumphant return to Cartoon Network more than two decades after their first flight across Townsville. According to ComicBook.com, fans of the iconic trio—Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup—can relive their crime-fighting adventures once again this April as the beloved animated series reclaims a spot on television.

It has been revealed that the show will officially be back on April 12, now part of Cartoon Network’s fresh morning lineup, and they won’t be alone as joining them is another fan-favorite, Steven Universe. The two animated powerhouses will air back-to-back, with Steven Universe kicking things off at 10 am, followed by The Powerpuff Girls at 10.30 am. However, whether the 2016 reboot will also make a reappearance remains a mystery as of now.

20 years ago today, ‘The Powerpuff Girls’ ended on Cartoon Network.

A new reboot is in development at...

For better or for worse, The CW's live-action Powerpuff Girls was put out to pasture before the show ever made it to the air. It came pretty close, however, to the point where a trailer was made for the ill-fated series.

On Reddit, the newly-revealed trailer was shared, revealing over three and a half minutes of footage from the Powerpuff Girls reboot. The trailer showcases how the live-action adaptation would have adapted some of the whimsical elements of the cartoon series, reimagining the group as they would appear as young adults in the real world. It's a zany concept, which might have been the idea, though it could be even more insane than some fans would expect. The trailer can be watched below.

RelatedThe Powerpuff Girls: The 20 Most Powerful Villains, Ranked

The Powerpuff Girls have been pitted against some of the most dastardly and powerful villains in cartoon history.

Live-action adaptations of beloved animated shows are becoming another hot commodity, following the success of shows like Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender and Cowboy Bebop. The CW was also looking to capitalize on that popularity with a live-action adaptation of Cartoon Network's beloved The Powerpuff Girls. However, any attempts at transforming sugar, spice, and everything nice into live-action were halted in 2023 when the show was officially canceled. Two years later, a trailer for the CW's canceled Powerpuff Girls show has leaked online...and it's probably a good thing it was axed.

The new trailer, which comes to us via a post on Reddit, reveals the drastic changes made to the original show in the CW's version. The new series planned to age-up Blossom, Buttercup, and Bubbles into young adults who quit being superheroes after accidentally killing Mojo. Blossom ran away, Buttercup became a firefighter, and Bubbles became an...

The CW announced plans for Powerpuff in 2020. Understandably, fans of Cartoon Network's The Powerpuff Girls were in equal parts excited and filled with trepidation about a live-action sequel.

The network's approach to the material raised eyebrows from the start, largely because each member of the iconic trio was set to be portrayed by, and as, adults. Still, Diablo Cody and Heather Regnie's role in developing the project felt like a step in the right direction, as did the fact Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. alum Chloe Bennet was tapped to play Blossom.

Dove Cameron was chosen as Bubbles, with Yana Perrault picked to bring Buttercup to life on screen. Scrubs alum Donald Faison, meanwhile, was cast as Professor Utonium.

After being shot, the pilot was revealed to have fallen flat, with The CW's former Chairman and CEO Mark Pedowitz admitting the whole thing was a "miss.

Animation has come a long way since its inception. The meticulous hand-drawn frames of yore have given way to digital techniques, and things like ink and paint have been replaced by Cintiq art tablets. However, one thing has remained the same: every animated work draws inspiration from something else.

Today, there are more remarkable animated shows to see than ever before. Disney and Hanna-Barbera no longer control the narrative. Now, audiences can find something to pique any interest. Shows like Amphibia and The Owl House appeal to the whimsical whims of fantasy fans. Anyone with an itch for something more mysterious can turn to Infinity Train and Gravity Falls. For comedy, Chowder and Regular Show are always available. All these shows seem wildly different, but they’re all connected to the same source. More specifically, their creators were all protégés of Thurop Von Orman and J. G. Quintel’s Cartoon Network show,...

The 1990s was a golden age for cartoons. Following the creatively bankrupt string of toy commercials disguised as TV shows of the '80s, we got one phenomenally written, visually inventive, boundary-pushing cartoon after the other in the 1990s. One of the best shows of that decade was "Dexter's Laboratory." Created by maestro Genndy Tartakovsky, the show was the very first Cartoon Cartoons show to be made into a series. It follows the titular Dexter, a boy genius with a skill for engineering who is at constant odds with his older sister Dee Dee, who keeps entering Dexter's secret lab without his permission and interfering with his experiments.

The show was a huge hit, responsible for starting the careers of plenty of veteran animators like Craig McCracken, Rob Renzetti, Seth MacFarlane, and Butch Hartman, who each went on to create successful animated shows of their own. You can see the...

The 2010s were full of amazing cartoons, but perhaps the biggest surprise of the decade was My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Directed by Lauren Faust, who worked on shows like Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, and is married to The Powerpuff Girls creator Craig McCracken, it follows the adventures of brightly colored ponies in Equestria as they learn friendship lessons. Though aimed at younger audiences, the show developed a surprisingly large following of adult viewers, especially men, who called themselves "bronies".

Created by Craig McCracken and released in 1998, The Powerpuff Girls was one of Cartoon Network's original series, also known as a "Cartoon Cartoon". It followed a trio of young girls named Blossom (Cathy Cavadini), Bubbles (Tara Strong), and Buttercup (E. G. Daily), who used incredible superpowers to defend the city of Townsville from near-constant threats. Thanks to its simple but stylistic art style, impeccable voice acting, and homage to superhero stories, the show became one of the most popular Cartoon Cartoons. It even got a reboot in 2014 with a very mixed reception.

If there's one thing a slasher movie franchise needs, it's an instantly recognizable slasher. "Halloween" has Michael Myers, "A Nightmare on Elm Street" has Freddy Krueger (inseparable from actor Robert Englund), "Friday the 13th" has Jason Voorhees, and "Scream" has Ghostface. Unlike the other slashers, though, Ghostface is a mantle, not a single person.

The original "Scream" was a murder mystery, with Ghostface unmasked and killed at the film's end. Each sequel has continued the trend: a new person slips on the ghoulish white mask, full body black cloak, and starts stabbing people in Sidney Prescott's (Neve Campbell) orbit. While each Ghostface killer has naturally been played by a different actor, the disguised voice is the same in every movie, provided by voice actor Roger L. Jackson. Get a look at the voice behind the mask courtesy of this video from Jamie Kennedy (who played Randy Meeks in "Scream").

Jamie...

The Powerpuff Girls meet The Simpsons in a new animation mashup. The Powerpuff Girls was an animated series created by Craig McCracken, which began telling the tale of Blossom, Buttercup, and Bubbles in 1998. The series ran for six seasons, from 1998 to 2004. The Simpsons, on the other hand, is a less kid-oriented animated series that started almost a decade earlier than The Powerpuff Girls, airing its first episode in 1989. The show has continued on since, and The Simpsons season 36 is currently in progress.

Now, new art from @nathanmadeit shows a mash-up of The Powerpuff Girls and The Simpsons.

View this post on InstagramA post shared by Nathan Made It (@nathanmadeit)

The digital painting shows the trio of Buttercup, Bubbles, and Blossom all in flight. The main villain of The Powerpuff Girls, Mojo Jojo, is also shown on screen. Instead of their typical style, the Powerpuff trio is drawn with yellow skin...

Popular '90s cartoon series The Powerpuff Girls has teamed up with one of the most recognizable brands in footwear, with Converse recently revealing five eye-popping colorways for its first-ever collection with the franchise.

Via WWDJapan, Converse Japan has partnered with The Powerpuff Girls on two variants of its All Star line of sneakers. The first variant comes in three colors for Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup, costs 13,200 yen (~US$93), and references the respective characters such as their associated pink, blue and green. Meanwhile, the second variant, priced at 16,500 yen (~US$116), references The Powerpuff Girls more generally, coming in black and white colorways. Readers can check out the images and more information below.

Related Sf Giants & Naruto Reveal First-Ever Anime Day Experience & Exclusive Merch

The San Francisco Giants and one of the most popular anime series, Naruto Shippuden, reveal their first-ever collaboration for Anime Day in September.

Converse's New Powerpuff Girls...

Cartoon Network reboots like Adventure Time movie and Regular Show new series spark interest in potential returns for other beloved shows. Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy are prime candidates for reboots. Series like Codename: Kids Next Door, The Cramp Twins, and Ed, Edd N Eddy also have untapped potential for successful returns.

There have been several major Cartoon Network reboots in recent years that have highlighted other series that should also return. With Adventure Time getting a movie, Regular Show receiving a new series, and a new season of Gumball on the way, this brings to mind the other fantastic shows that Cartoon Network viewers would love to see back on the small screen. While some were lesser-known productions that deserved more attention, other major series also have maintained plenty of reboot potential.

Many of the best Cartoon Network...

Cartoon Network fans are currently divided over a recently revealed scene in the highly-anticipated crossover special in Jellystone! The scene in question will have the original version of Bubbles from The Powerpuff Girls beat up the 2016 reboot version of herself, at the request of series creator Craig McCracken.

The animation network was among the many big-named companies present at this years San Diego Comic-Con, held annually in California. On Sunday, July 28, a panel for Jellystone!, the animated Hanna-Barbera ensemble comedy, was held to promote the massive Cartoon Network crossover special called "Crisis on Infinite Mirths" for the streaming service Max. The special features numerous cartoon cameos from Cartoon Network original shows like Dexter's Lab, Ed, Edd, n Eddy, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, and so much more. However, theres a scene in this special that takes a nasty jab at the divisive reboot of...

Dynamite's Ppg #1 explores the girls' separate destinies, adding depth to their characters & storylines. The issue revisits the theme of identity & change, with the girls learning to be themselves while embracing their powers. Dynamite's comic book series follows in the footsteps of DC & Idw, offering a more nuanced look at the Powerpuff Girls' universe.

Warning: Spoilers for The Powerpuff Girls #1 (Dynamite)I will always love Craig McCracken's Powerpuff Girls and even the highly controversial reboot more than the comics, but the first new issue of Dynamite's Ppg comic book series actually feels like it improves upon one classic episode in a way that also underscores something both shows never accomplished. The first issue of Dynamite's six-issue series immediately gets to the heart of what these TV shows lack by exploring and possibly even deconstructing who Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup are as characters.

Called "Destiny Detour," Dynamite's Powerpuff...

Dragon Ball and The Powerpuff Girls have collided in a new piece of artwork that brings the two together in the best possible -- and most wholesome -- way.

In a June 20 X (formerly Twitter) post, artist Mocci Mu published an illustration of Dragon Ball's Goku blocking three simultaneous strikes, each coming from a different member of the Powerpuff Girls -- Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup. The post, seen below, was captioned with, "Goku loves the challenge. The girls love their new babysitter."

Related New Dragon Ball Artwork Recreates One of the Most Iconic Anime Movie Posters of All Time

A Dragon Ball fan merges the world of Akira Toriyama's iconic shonen with the vibrant, cyberpunk-style dystopia of a classic science-fiction anime.

Dragon Ball's Goku Might Make a Better Babysitter Than He Ever Did a Radish Farmer Powerpuff Girls x Dragonball:Goku loves the challenge.The girls love their new babysitter.

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"Dexter's Laboratory" was the first in an incredible wave of original animated shows from Cartoon Network. "Cow and Chicken," "Johnny Bravo," "I Am Weasel," "The Powerpuff Girls," "Ed, Edd, n Eddy,", "Courage the Cowardly Dog," and "Dexter's Laboratory" were collectively known as Cartoon Cartoons, and they turned Cartoon Network into a popular destination for animated entertainment that landed with kids and adults alike. However, Genndy Tartakovsky is one of only two creators from this run of shows who is still making groundbreaking animation today. The other is "The Powerpuff Girls" creator Craig McCracken, who just so happened to cut his teeth working alongside Tartakovsky through much of the first couple seasons of "Dexter's Laboratory." Perhaps that's why it's so wonderful to this day.

"Dexter's Laboratory" smartly' borrows and mixes elements from the best classic cartoons. There's the slapstick comedy elements that come from "Looney Tunes,...

J.G. Quintel’s new “Regular Show” and Craig McCracken’s “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends” spin-off both feature in a new production slate from Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe.

Unveiled Wednesday at Annecy to an appreciative crowd at Annecy’s MIFA market, which greeted multiple shows with whoops of enthusiasm, the two new announcements join a new “Adventure Time” series, “Side Quests,” as greenlights at the Warner-owned companies.

The new slate also boasts two more “Adventure Time” shows in development, plus an unannounced Scooby-Doo project.

The big question raised by the studio’s Annecy focus is whether the surge in new shows is a temporary anomaly or marks a broader indicator of a more sustained return by Warner Bros. Discovery to fuller-on animation production after the lull of the recent past.

Certainly, news will not come much bigger at this year’s Annecy than “Adventure Time,...

Maxwell Atom's animated series "The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy" debuted on the Cartoon Network on June 13, 2003, and would go on to run for 84 episodes over the course of six seasons. The premise was delightfully ghoulish. The cluelessly happy Billy (Richard Steven Horvitz) and the angry misanthrope Mandy (Grey DeLisle) once cheated Death by rigging a limbo competition; it seems that Death will grant favors to the living should they win at a competition à la Ingmar Bergman's "The Seventh Seal."

Because of Billy and Mandy's limbo victory, a grim reaper named Grim (Greg Eagles) becomes their indentured servant. Grim constantly wants to kill Billy and Mandy, while the kids just want to go on adventures. Grim begrudgingly goes along. Early Billy & Mandy segments were originally aired as part of the diptych series "Grim & Evil," which shared its 22-minute airtime with another Maxwell Atom series, "Evil Con Carne.

"Dexter's Laboratory" changed the course of American TV animation. Like "Flapjack" after it, the cartoon gave many future legendary animators their start in the industry, from Craig McCracken and Butch Hartman to Rob Renzetti and one Seth MacFarlane. It also helped transform "The Powerpuff Girls" into a timeless hit.

The show started as a short in "What a Cartoon!" before becoming the very first Cartoon Cartoon. The man behind the show, Genndy Tartakovsky, has made hit after hit in a variety of genres and tones, from his influential "Star Wars: Clone Wars," to the devastatingly gory R-rated animated carnage of "Primal" or complex genre-bending tales of steampunk goodness like the criminally underseen "Unicorn: Warriors Eternal."

Much of Tartakovsky's style can be traced back to his work in "Dexter's Laboratory," from his use of silence to tell stories to his eye for iconography and imagery, along with his knack for pop culture references.

The most charitable read on John Krasinski’s If is that using your imagination shouldn’t be bound by traditional story structure, so why should a film about unfettered imagination need the same? Even then, there’s so much connective tissue missing from scene to scene that it feels less like If is going for abstract vibes than it’s succumbing to a traumatic brain injury, ultimately and awkwardly landing on a moral far too late to have the impact it deserves.

Twelve-year-old Bea (Cailey Fleming) lost her mother when she was younger, and now her father (Krasinski) is set to go under the knife at a New York City hospital to fix an issue with his heart, forcing Bea to stay with her grandmother (Fiona Shaw) until he recovers. Bea is at the age where she’s trying to grow up in a hurry, especially in light of the...

The history of television is fascinating because you can trace lines between almost any modern show and one of the classics, as crews move from one show to another, bringing their past work and their influences with them. This applies to both live-action and animation. In the latter, many animators who start as writers or storyboard artists in one show end up creating their own series years later, bringing colleagues along with them, who then go on to create their own shows in return. Take "Dexter's Laboratory" launching the career of not just Genndy Tartakovsky, but also Craig McCracken, Rob Renzetti, Butch Hartman, and Seth MacFarlane, each going on to make a popular show.

What "Dexter's Laboratory" did in the '90s, "The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack" did in the late 2000s. This is a show that helped launch several animation careers, with plenty of writers and storyboard artists...

Genndy Tartakovsky's 2001 animated series "Samurai Jack" is probably one of the best of its era. The series boasted a peculiar and stoic tone, with the title hero (Phil Lamarr) staying quiet for vast blocks of the show. Samurai Jack was lost in the distant future, thanks to the sorcery of a tricky trickster god named Aku, and a lot of the series was devoted to Jack's exploration of strange, new alien settings. "Samurai Jack." also featured a unique, neo-cubist aesthetic; characters didn't have black-line outlines, and backgrounds were often abstract and blocky. Fans will also hasten to add the overwhelmingly awesome action of "Samurai Jack." If one is animating with blocky shapes and abstract backgrounds, the action can be just as stylized. The fight scenes on "Samurai Jack" are the stuff of legend. 

"Samurai Jack" ran until 2004, and there had long been plans to adapt the series into a live-action feature film.

Van Partible's animated series "Johnny Bravo" debuted on the Cartoon Network on July 14, 1997. It was one of four new shows that Cartoon Network premiered in 1997 and 1998 that served as a declaration for a new creator-forward direction the network was taking. "Johnny Bravo" debuted alongside Genndy Tartakovsky's "Dexter's Laboratory," David Feiss' "Cow and Chicken," and Craig McCracken's "The Powerpuff Girls." In 1999, that lineup would be complemented by "Ed, Edd n Eddy," and "Courage the Cowardly Dog." These shows were all quirky and idiosyncratic and attracted a generation of fans.

"Johnny Bravo" was about a barrel-chested, Elvis-voiced lug who lived with his mother and attempted to find love in the big city. His buffoonery and vanity, however, usually kept him single. Johnny was played by prolific voice actor Jeff Bennett, who has been acting professionally since 1991. Van Partible had been working on a version of the show as early...

Once upon a time, Netflix was in the business of auteur-driven animation, allowing filmmakers like Guillermo del Toro work on his dream project "Pinocchio," giving Henry Selick his first movie in 13 years after Disney killed his previous project, letting Charlie Kaufman deliver an existential kids' animated movie in "Orion and the Dark," and rescuing "Nimona" after Disney pulled the plug. The streamer has partnered with the likes of Glen Keane, Sergio Pablos, Richard Linklater, Chris Williams, Craig McCracken, and Jorge R. Gutiérrez, but a name that won't join this list anytime soon is legendary filmmaker David Lynch.

Speaking with Deadline, Lynch offered an update on his long-gestating animated movie "Snootworld," which he's been teasing since at least 2009. Lynch co-wrote the script for his animated feature debut with Caroline Thompson ("The Nightmare Before Christmas"), with Lynch penning the second of the film's three acts.

"I like this story. It's something that...

Prior to the debut of "The Powerpuff Girls" in 1998, show creator Craig McCracken had directed a series of tasteless cartoon shorts starring a character named No-Neck Joe. No-Neck Joe appeared regularly at the celebrated annual Spike & Mike Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation, cementing McCracken's underground credentials. The Powerpuff Girls first came into McCracken's repertoire as early as 1992, back when they were called the Whoopass Girls. The juxtaposition between the characters' creepy, ultra-cute, Margaret Keane-like faces and their ultra-violent behavior was the stuff of comedy legend, and McCracken kept the Girls in his back pocket for years.

Throughout the 1990s, McCracken rose in the ranks of the animation world, landing gigs on shows like "2 Stupid Dogs," "Dumb and Dumber," and, most notably, Genndy Tartakovsky's seminal series 1996 "Dexter's Laboratory." McCracken directed many episodes of the show. "Dexter's Laboratory" was one of four new series launched by the Cartoon Network...

Exclusive: Coming off a three-year overall deal at Netflix, kids programming veteran Nancy Kanter is re-launching her production company, Available Light Productions, with several projects already in the works, live-action movie Wayward Girls; animated movie Penny Phantom, based on the novel Little Thieves by Margaret Owen; animated movie The Circus Ship, based on the picture book of the same name; and animated preschool comedy series Alexander the Post Fox done in partnership with Kevin Jonas.

Available Light Productions’s slate of original series and movies, which Kanter is shepherding with the company’s Head of Development, William Goldberg, are expected to be taken out to the broader kids, family and general audience market.

Additionally Kanter, whose Netflix deal ended at the end of January, has animated and live-action projects across both the kid and adult demographic still in development at the streamer where her pact started in the kids and...

Oscar-winning scribe Diablo Cody opened up about the canceled live-action Powerpuff Girls series, which she was originally attached to as a writer and executive producer.

After going through a three-year development period, The CW eventually decided to cancel the live-action series adaptation of the classic animated series The Powerpuff Girls. Speaking with TheWrap, Cody finally broke her silence regarding the project’s cancelation. "There were honestly a lot of issues. It’s a bummer," she said. "I was really bummed out about that. Heather Regnier and I, who created it together, we were very, very excited about that show. But it just didn’t pan out. And sometimes things just don’t. I mean, to be honest, like, most of the time, things don’t."

Related 10 Darkest Powerpuff Girls Episodes The cute and colorful Powerpuff Girls embarked on many fun adventures, but sometimes, their escapades took a dark turn.

The...

Diablo Cody, one of the writers behind the cancelled live-action Powerpuff Girls show, looks back on the experience. She clarified that the series would explore the Powerpuff Girls as disillusioned adults who felt they had been exploited like child stars when they were superheroes. Cody also said she wasn't aware that a Powerpuff Girls script had leaked years ago, and said it could've been a very early draft, as many were written.

The co-writer of the cancelled Powerpuff Girls CW show speaks out about the leaked script for the pilot. In 2020, a reboot of the Cartoon Network classic Powerpuff Girls was met with skepticism and confusion. The CW announced a live-action sequel was in the works that year, starring Chloe Bennet as Blossom, Dove Cameron as Bubbles, and Yana Perault as Buttercup. After a tumultuous production and the exit of Bennet in 2021, the series was eventually scrapped.

Ahead of her latest movie Lisa Frankenstein,...

Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender received a new batch of official photos from the upcoming live-action series, featuring familiar characters.

Shared by the streamer on its official X account, The Last Airbender photos provided fans a first look at five characters from the highly-anticipated adaptation. These include fan-favorites from the animated series: Suki of the Kyoshi warriors; Jet of the Freedom Fighters; Katara and Sokka’s grandmother Gran Gran; the Mechanist from Earth Kingdom; and bounty hunter June. They are portrayed by Maria Zhang, Sebastian Amoruso, Casey Camp-Horinek, Community alum Danny Pudi, and Teen Wolf vet Arden Cho, respectively. In addition, one of the photos also featured a brand-new character named Mayor Yukari, who’s introduced as Suki’s mother. The latter was actually not seen on the Nickelodeon show, as Netflix teases the appearance of more original characters that were created solely for the live-action series.

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John Krasinski's next film, titled If, is a fantasy comedy similar to an underrated kids' cartoon show. If follows a young girl who can see imaginary friends and teams up with a neighbor to help abandoned IFs. Although resembling Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends, If has a deeper and layered message, appealing to different generations.

John Krasinski’s next movie is a fantasy comedy titled If, and it's strangely similar to one underrated kids' cartoon show from almost two decades ago. After the success of the horror movies A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place Part II, John Krasinski is moving on in his career as a filmmaker and going back to comedy with his next movie. The project, titled If, is a live-action/animated fantasy comedy also written and co-produced by Krasinski, who is also starring in it in a still unknown role.

Starring Ryan Reynolds as The...

The CW might have passed on the live-action Powerpuff Girls reboot, but star Dove Cameron has no regrets on shooting the failed pilot.

Dubbed Powerpuff, the planned reboot series was written and executive produced by Heather Rengier and Diablo Cody. Cameron was in one of the starring roles as Bubbles, joined by Chloe Bennet as Blossom and Yana Perrault as Buttercup. A pilot was shot, and it was passed on by the CW, though it was reported at the time that the plan was to retool the pilot along with some recasting. Earlier this year, however, it was revealed that the planned series was officially scrapped. Now, per Elle, Cameron revealed how she feels about the doomed Powerpuff Girls reboot, marking the first time she's addressed the show since it was confirmed that it's no longer happening.

Related Invincible Officially Settles the Omni-Man vs. Powerpuff Girls Debate The official X...

The Powerpuff Girls creator Craig McCracken has explained the reason why he knew The CW’s attempt at making a live-action adaptation of his beloved cartoon series wouldn't work out.

Last May 19, it was officially announced that The CW decided to pull the plug on its long-in-development Powerpuff Girls series. Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, McCracken finally broke his silence regarding the canceled project. He revealed that he originally met with the network to discuss its plans for the live-action series, where he gave his honest feedback. "I had one meeting with them and I told them, 'When you turn them into adults, they’re no longer the Powerpuff Girls because if they’re adults, that’s just three super girls who don’t have to deal with being kids.' That’s a completely different show," McCracken recalled.

Related Warner Bros and Dynamite Comics Making New Thundercats and...

A live-action version of Powerpuff Girls could still work if it stays true to the original characters' ages, unlike the failed adaptation plans. The ideal age for a live-action Powerpuff Girls would be their teenage years, allowing for interesting storylines and character development. The CW's live-action Powerpuff Girls plan faced criticism for making the girls too old, proving that jumping to adulthood would have been a drastic change from the original concept.

A live-action version of Powerpuff Girls could work, even though the recent adaptation plans failed, but it needs to stay closer to the characters' original ages. A live-action version of Powerpuff Girls was announced in August 2020, and it spent a long time in development. In May 2023, The CW, which handled the project, announced it was officially stepping away from it. However, the live-action series might still work with the right details.

Powerpuff Girls was originally an animated series on Cartoon Network,...

Creator of original animated series knew The CW's live-action Powerpuff Girls project wouldn't work due to adult storyline disconnect. Fans were not pleased with the live-action adaptation that focused on adult versions of the characters. The optimistic and naive tone of the original Powerpuff Girls series did not align with The CW's style of gritty and dark superhero shows.

Earlier this year, The CW canceled their attempt to bring The Powerpuff Girls to their screen in live-action format, and the creator of the original animated series reveals that he always knew the project was not going to work. And for a very specific reason. Created by Craig McCracken and produced by Hanna-Barbera and later by Cartoon Network Studios, The Powerpuff Girls first debuted in 1998 on Cartoon Network. The story follows Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, three little girls with superpowers who were created by their father, Professor Utonium in his laboratory.

Powerpuff Girls creator Craig McCracken accurately predicted the failure of the live-action CW show, stating that turning them into adults would make them lose their identity as the Powerpuff Girls. The live-action adaptation faced numerous setbacks, including criticism of the leaked script and negative response to set photos, ultimately leading to the cancelation of the project. The CW's attempt to replicate the success of dark shows like Riverdale with a disillusioned young adult take on Powerpuff Girls did not resonate with audiences, as McCracken had warned.

Powerpuff Girls creator Craig McCracken perfectly predicted the failure of the live-action CW show well before it happened. Back in August 2020, it was announced that a live-action version of Powerpuff Girls was in the works. The CW's project would take a different approach than the popular Cartoon Network franchise, looking at Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup as disillusioned young adults. Despite some high-profile casting and filming taking place,...

Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup zoomed onto TV screens 25 years ago, as Cartoon Network’s The Powerpuff Girls debuted on November 18, 1998. Created by Craig McCracken, the animated series told how one professor’s quest to concoct the “perfect little girl” went awry with the accidental addition of Chemical X, turning three kindergarten-aged girls into super-powered crimefighters. These days, the Powerpuff Girls live on only in reruns and streaming libraries — a recent live-action adaptation never made it past the pilot stage, unfortunately. But with new comic books and even a new TV show in the pipeline, Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup will be back with new stories faster than you can say “Fuzzy Lumpkins.” Here’s a breakdown of the franchise so far… The original series In Cartoon Network’s The Powerpuff Girls — which aired six seasons between 1998 and 2005 — Tara Strong, E.G. Daily, and Cathy Cavadini voiced Bubbles, Buttercup, and Blossom, with those three girls respectively representing “sugar,...

Princesses have become a staple for Disney because of the identifiability of their brand. All the women in Disney's line-up are beautiful, kind, and capable. What's more, every princess has their own individual skills and strengths that separate them from their counterparts. This same character format is also used in animated television shows that aren't under the Disney brand.

Many animated women, whether the creators meant to or not, undeniably encompass very similar traits to Disney princesses. Several of these characters, like Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender and Kagami from Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, have nearly identical personalities and designs to specific Disney royalty. These women naturally draw the eyes of their fan base with their mesmerizing styles and demeanors. Most importantly, all of these TV women play a prominent role in the progression of their series.

Bubbles The Powerpuff Girls

The Powerpuff Girls

The Powerpuff Girls franchise centers on Blossom,...