18-07-2025
Captain Planet Returns as a Live-Action Netflix Series From Berlanti and DiCaprio
The live-action adaptation of Captain Planet and the Planeteers has finally received a major update, and it's no longer a film. Instead, Netflix has picked up Captain Planet for a live-action series based on the animated show.
As reported by Deadline, the series will come from Greg Berlanti's Berlanti Productions, which is based at Warner Bros. Television, as well as Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way.
The Captain Planet adaptation dates back to 2016, when Paramount Pictures announced that Glen Powell was co-writing a live-action film with Jono Matt, and that Powell could potentially star as well. However, over the years, the project never came together, despite Powell's repeated interest, as evidenced by multiple interviews.
Mrs. Davis co-creator Tara Hernandez will write the adaptation, and while Powell is no longer involved, Deadline says sources confirm Matt is a producer.
Captain Planet and the Planeteers was an American animated series that ran for six seasons, from 1990 to 1996. It had strong environmentalist messages, with many episodes ending with a direct appeal to the audience on issues like littering and pollution. You might also remember the infamous Funny or Die Captain Planet skit from 13 years ago, featuring Don Cheadle.
In the series, a group of young adults are chosen by Gaia to become the Planeteers and protect Earth from environmental disasters. Each is given an elemental ring — Fire, Wind, Water, Earth and Heart — that helps them fight the Eco-Villains. When the power of the rings is combined, it summons Captain Planet, a Superman-esque hero with a host of powers.
The series has received a number of video game and comic book spinoffs over the years. The most recent is a brand-new comic series, also called Captain Planet and the Planeteers, by Dynamite Entertainment, which launched on May 7, 2025. This series is more of a reinterpretation than a continuation.
There's currently no planned date or window for Netflix's Captain Planet.
Solve the daily Crossword