Top Gun: Maverick's Glen Powell provided a positive update about Leonardo DiCaprio's Captain Planet movie, showing there is still some life left in the film adaptation.
During a chat with ET Online, Powell shared that the Captain Planet project is still in the works, but its overall status will depend on what happens in the ongoing Warner Bros. Discovery shakeup. "I think those conversations will be happening shortly. I know DiCaprio is super passionate about it," said the actor. "I'm super passionate about it. I think it could be great... I want that one to work. I'd love to play that superhero."
Back in 2016, it was announced that DiCaprio's production company Appian Way was in talks to obtain the screen rights to Captain Planet and the Planeteers with the goal of creating a new take on the popular cartoon series. The film rights were once at Sony Pictures and Paramount before landing at Warner Bros. Powell became attached as a writer alongside Jono Matt during this period, but news on the film has been very slim ever since. The actor did describe the movie at one point as a "subversive take" on the material.
Saving Captain Planet
Captain Planet and the Planeteers was an animated environmentalist series created by Barbara Pyle and Ted Turner. On the show, a quintet of teenagers from around the world team up to promote environmentally responsible behavior and have the ability to summon a superhero to tackle ecological disasters. They're able to call upon Captain Planet thanks to magical rings that had the power to control natural elements such as earth, fire, wind, water and heart.
The show ran in syndication for three seasons from 1990-1992 with a total of 113 episodes. A sequel series, The New Adventures of Captain Planet, followed in 1993 and aired until 1996. The sequel dived more into the past of each of the characters and with a slightly more serious tone than its predecessor.
Captain Planet and the Planeteers was also known for famous actors lending their voices to bring some of the series' villains to life. Ed Asner provided the voice for Hoggish Greedly, John Ratzenberger brought Rigger to life, and Jeff Goldblum voiced Verminous Skumm for one season. On the hero side of things Gaia, who is the spirit of the planet that sends out the five magic rings, was voiced by Whoopi Goldberg for Seasons 1-3 while Margot Kidder took over for Seasons 4-6.
Captain Planet and the Planeteers can be found on Prime Video, Vudu or Apple TV.
Source: ET Online