A live-action Captain Planet TV series is taking a big step forward. That might seem like a frivolous promise, as fans have been waiting since the 1990s for a Captain Planet movie to come to fruition. Many have tried, none have succeeded, but now Netflix is getting behind the IP and is reportedly looking to get something into active development.
That project would be a live-action series developed by Arrowverse co-creator Greg Berlanti, through his Berlanti Productions imprint at Warner Bros. Television. Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way is also said to be involved; the studio previously tried (and failed) to get a Captain Planet movie into production in the 2010s. The new project already has a writer attached, in the form of Tara Hernandez, who is best known for co-creating the sci-fi-comedy miniseries Mrs. Davis along with Damon Lindelof.
Captain Planet was an animated series that ran on TBS from 1990 through 1992 and became a cult-hit phenomenon. The show mixed superhero tropes and an unabashed environmentalist message into a mythology about Gaia, the spirit of Earth, creating five magic rings and distributing them across the world to five different noble souls: Kwame from Africa (Earth), Wheeler from America (Fire), Linka from the Soviet Union (Wind), Gi from Asia (Water), and Ma-Ti from South America, who has the pivotal power of “heart” in his ring. When all five “Planeteers” combine the magic powers of their respective rings, the heart ring creates a heroic avatar to fight for them (Captain Planet), who possesses all four elemental abilities. With Gaia guiding them, the Planeteers provide aid at various natural disaster sites, and also battle their own brand of “Eco-Villains” who are intentionally threatening the environment – including the smog-spewing pig-man Hoggis Greedly; the rat-like scum Verminous Skumm; animal poacher Looten Plunder; rogue scientist Dr. Babs Blight; trash hoarder Sly Sludge – and of course, the radioactive Duke Nukem.
The unironically campy nature of Captain Planet understandably presents a challenge for live-action adaptation. It’s so easy for the show and its characters to feel like walking, talking propaganda, even if the underlying intent (increasing environmental awareness in kids) is a good one. But Berlanti faced a similar challenge in making an entire DC Universe work in a TV format, and managed to pull it off. Knowing what Netflix will commit in terms of visual effects and budget (see: One Piece), this series could become a breakthrough IP for the streamer.
Captain Planet is in development at Netflix.
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