‘Captain Planet and the Planeteers’ live-action series underway at Netflix

A live-action adaptation of the iconic 1990s animated series "Captain Planet and the Planeteers" is currently in development at Netflix, with Greg Berlanti and Leonardo DiCaprio attached as executive producers.

While Netflix has yet to make an official announcement, Variety has confirmed the news through sources close to the production. 

Tara Hernandez, known for her work on "Mrs Davis", "The Big Bang Theory", and "Young Sheldon", is penning the script. The series will be produced by Berlanti Productions and Appian Way, with Sarah Schechter and Leigh London Redman joining Berlanti, and Jennifer Davisson producing alongside DiCaprio. Warner Bros Television will serve as the studio behind the project.

Originally airing from 1990 to 1996, "Captain Planet and the Planeteers" and its follow-up "The New Adventures of Captain Planet" were co-produced by DIC Entertainment and Hanna-Barbera. Conceived by Barbara Pyle and media mogul Ted Turner, the series sought to raise awareness around environmental and social issues through superhero storytelling aimed at younger audiences. 

The animated series featured voice talents such as Ed Asner, Whoopi Goldberg, and LeVar Burton.

Over the years, multiple attempts have been made to adapt "Captain Planet" into a live-action format. Actor Glen Powell was previously involved in developing a film version for DiCaprio's Appian Way, describing his take as "subversive and fun and dark and irreverent" as recently as 2023. 

Earlier, in 2011, "Transformers" producers Don Murphy and Susan Montford had entered a partnership with Cartoon Network to work on a feature-length adaptation.

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According to the Captain Planet Foundation, the story centres around Gaia, the spirit of the Earth, who assembles five young heroes from around the globe—known as Planeteers—to tackle global crises such as pollution, deforestation, and climate change. When combined, their powers summon the titular hero, Captain Planet, to aid in their mission. 

The original series also tackled issues such as drug addiction, HIV/AIDS, and bullying, earning praise for its educational yet entertaining narrative.