Summary
Netflixisn’t afraid of a good old-fashioned nostalgia play every now and again. What isStranger Thingsif not ’80s nostalgia-bait? What isWednesdayif not a new take on one of the most lasting franchises of the past fifty years? Now, the streaming giant is at it again.
Ever worried about the numerous streaming services nipping at their heels,Netflixis always on the hunt for its next hit series. After all,Stranger ThingsandSquid Gameare ending this year (ostensibly… spin-offs are always a possibility),Bridgertoncan’t run forever as there are a finite number of novels to adapt, and limited series likeDahmerandAdolescencearen’t built for multiple seasons. As Netflix Original Films continually struggle to make any sort of notable impact—we’re looking at you,Red NoticeandThe Gray Man—the service must fall back on what gets people to log in over and over: television series. Binge-watching shows is what Netflix was built on, and it undoubtedly has become a mainstay of the pop culture experience in a post-COVID world. This year alone, Netflix has new original programming coming from the likes ofThe Shield’sKurt Sutter,American Horror Story’s Ryan Murphy, andBroadchurch’s Chris Chibnall. Now, there is word of a new series coming down the pike.
According toVariety, Netflix and Warner Bros. Television are teaming with Greg Berlanti and Leonardo DiCaprio to adapt the beloved 1990s cartoonCaptain Planet and the Planeteersinto a live-action series. Tara Hernandez ofThe Big Bang Theory,Young Sheldon, andMrs. Davisfame is currently onboard to write the show.There isn’t much else to go on at this early stage of production, but it seems like kids of the ’80s and ’90s will haveanother chance to relive a bit of their childhoodsyet again. Given that Dynamite Entertainment has aCaptain Planetcomic book currently ongoing, it seems like the franchise is well and truly back.
Netflix, Greg Berlanti, & Leonardo DiCaprio Are ReimaginingCaptain Planet and the Planeteers
“The Power Is Yours!”
Captain Planet and the Planeteersand its sequel show,The New Adventures of Captain Planet, weremainstays of 1990s television, airing from 1990 to 1996 before going into syndication on Cartoon Network and Kids' WB. The Planeteers are a group of teens brought together by Gaia, the spirit of the Earth, to fight on behalf of the planet in the battle against eco-terrorism and the like. When all five Planeteers combine their Gaia-given powers together, they can summon Captain Planet to assist them. The franchise—blessed with vocal work from LeVar Burton, Whoopi Goldberg, Frank Welker, Meg Ryan, and Martin Sheen—was a smash hit, spawning numerous toys, video games, and other media.
Funnily enough, Leonardo DiCaprio has been trying to get aCaptain Planet and the Planeteersfilm made for years now. At one point,Glen Powell was attached to co-write and star in the filmas the titular superhero, but behind-the-scenes problems at Warner Bros. Discovery apparently stopped that incarnation of the movie from going forward. It seems unlikely that Powell would join a full-fledged Netflix series after becoming a genuine movie star over the past few years, but crazier things have happened. All in all, it’s an exciting time to be a fan of Captain Planet.
