The upcoming live action sequel to 1998 Cartoon Network series The Powerpuff Girls at The CW announced on Tuesday that Donald Faison (Scrubs, Clueless) has been cast in the role of scientific patriarch Professor Utonium. This announcement follows shortly after the casting of The Powerpuff Girls themselves – Chloe Bennet (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Abominable) as Blossom, Dove Cameron (Liv and Maddie: Cali Style, Descendants) as Bubbles and Yana Perrault (Jagged Little Pill) as Buttercup – leading Collider to declare that “the entire Powerpuff family is finally cast.”
Variety describes the live action iteration of Powerpuff Girls creator Professor Utonium as “quirky, debonair, and pinch narcissistic.” As the Diablo Cody (Juno, Young Adult) and Heather Regnier (Sleepy Hollow, iZombie) series, sold to The CW in February, will focus on the titular Powerpuff Girls as disillusioned young adults, embittered by the life of crime fighting they were born into, Faison’s role stands to be much more complex than that of his cartoon predecessor.
“Faison will play the three now-adult girls’ father as he stares down a midlife crisis,” Collider further describes Faison’s character “hoping to repair his relationship with them since robbing them of their childhood.”
Faison shared his excitement about the news of his casting on Instagram, saying: “I tried so hard not to FLEX but I can’t help it.” The Professor Utonium actor was met with an outcry of support from friends fans including Jaleel White (Family Matters, Big Fat Liar), Dulé Hill (Psych, The West Wing) and former Scrubs partner-in-crime Zach Braff (Garden State, Alex, Inc.), via Instagram.
In addition to Faison’s casting, Variety reports that The CW’s continuation of the beloved cartoon will simply be titled Powerpuff, though there has yet to be a timeline for the series’ release as production is still in the earliest stages.