Netflix is turning eco-heroism into live-action, as the streamer sets its sights on ‘Captain Planet’, the cult environmental animated series from the 1990s. The new project comes from Greg Berlanti (Arrowverse, You) and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way, in partnership with Warner Bros. Television.
While Captain Planet was a big hit in the U.S., the show never quite reached the same level of recognition in the UK. Originally created by media mogul Ted Turner, the series followed five young “Planeteers” from around the world, each gifted a magic ring tied to one of the elements: Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, and Heart. When their powers combined, they summoned the green-mulleted eco-superhero Captain Planet, who helped take on threats like pollution, deforestation, and climate change.
The show aired for six seasons in the early ’90s, produced first by DIC and later by Hanna-Barbera. In the UK, it appeared on weekend morning lineups but never gained the same cultural foothold. Still, it earned a dedicated fanbase for its global message and environmental focus, and it has since become something of a cult favourite.
After years of attempts to bring the character to the big screen, including a version in 2016 that had Glen Powell co-writing, the live-action project has now landed at Netflix. Tara Hernandez, co-creator of Mrs. Davis, is writing the new series, with DiCaprio and Berlanti executive producing. While details are under wraps, the adaptation is said to include a fresh take on the original concept.
Appian Way has a strong track record with environmental documentaries such as Virunga, The Path of the Panther, and Ice on Fire, so the project feels well aligned with their mission. Berlanti, meanwhile, is no stranger to superheroes, having overseen a large part of the DC TV universe on The CW.
There’s no casting or release date yet, but you can read more about the development in the original Deadline article.
‘Captain Planet’ is classed as “in development” so might not go to series, but we’ll let you know if we hear more.
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