The Powerpuff Girls and the Legion of Doom

The Powerpuff Girls and the Legion of Doom is a 2027 animated superhero film directed by Lauren Faust (in her directorial debut) who also co-wrote the script with Amy Keating Rogers, Charlie Bean, and Craig McCracken. Produced by Cartoon Network Studios and DC Studios, the film is a crossover between the Cartoon Network series The Powerpuff Girls and characters published by DC Comics; it is also a standalone sequel to 2002's The Powerpuff Girls Movie.
It stars Cathy Cavadini, Tara Strong, E.G. Daily, Roger L. Jackson, and Tom Kenny reprising their roles from the series. John Lithgow, Martin Short, Jack Black, Mayim Bialik, Zoë Kravitz, Emma Stone, Amy Sedaris, Paul Giamatti, Kathy Bates, Jessica Chastain, Brendan Fraser, Alec Baldwin, Mena Massound, Rachel Weisz, and Kathryn Newton join the cast as the DC characters. The film has Mojo Jojo teaming up with the Legion of Doom to take down the Powerpuff Girls after having every DC hero held hostage.
The Powerpuff Girls and the Legion of Doom premiered at the Dolby Theatre on July 15, 2027, and was released in the United States on July 30. The film recieved mixed reviews from critics with praise for its action sequences, voice acting, humor, music and deeming it as an improvement over its predecessor, while criticism was towards the screenplay. It was a box office success, grossed $128.2 million against a budget of $20 million.
== Plot ==
At the beginning of the film, the Powerpuff Girls are seen fighting an army of villains led by Mojo Jojo, who threatens to blow up Townsville ("The Powerpuff Girls Theme (Battle Remix)"). The Powerpuff Girls are able to stop them but destroy their relationship with Mojo Jojo by saying that "There is no us" and "We don't do (relation)ships". Mojo Jojo is determined to prove that he is the Powerpuff Girls's worst enemy, and while watching a news report and hearing that it contains Sedusa, Princess Morbucks, and other villains, decides to surrender himself. Following the failed attempt, Mojo Jojo later gets the epiphany of forming an alliance with the Legion of Doom; Lex Luthor has him join by helping him defeat their enemies, which he succeeded with his various forms of tactics since his years fighting the girls. In return, the Legion decides to help Mojo defeat the Powerpuff Girls.
Meanwhile, the girls spend their day off hanging out with their friend Robyn Snyder after dealing with their enemies yesterday. Later that night, the girls are in the training room and Bubbles is the last to use it; Professor Utonium is impressed with her improvements and awards her a golden star sticker before they go to bed. As the girls are asleep, the Professor discovers on the news that word got out about Mojo aiding the Legion of Doom and he subsequently returns with them to Townsville. The girls wake up and duel with the Legion, but are overpowered by them. Blossom and Buttercup are apprehended by them while Bubbles retreats.
Mojo congratulates the Legion catching two of the three Powerpuff Girls while he has half of the Legion search for Bubbles. Lex, meanwhile, broadcasts their bounty on Bubbles' head and should she not surrender herself, the Legion shall overtake Townsville. Bubbles has overheard his announcement after reaching outer space, but finds herself indecisive on surrendering herself. She then comes across the Justice League Watchtower, where she encounters Wonder Woman, Green Lantern Aquaman, Starfire, and Cyborg, who are the only remaining heroes outside of Townsville that have escaped Mojo and the Leagues clutches. Forming an alliance, they formulate a strategic plan by having Bubbles deceive the Legion in her surrender as a means of distraction while the others, equipped with cloaking devices, enter the Hall of Doom and free the heroes.
The following day, Bubbles arrives back in Townsville to turn herself in as compensation for them to spare Townsville. As the Legion exits the Hall of Doom, the remaining heroes enter their base and find their cohorts in stasis pods, but are discovered from Cheetah's sense of smell. Bubbles and the remaining heroes are then placed in remaining stasis pods. Having succeeded in defeating the Powerpuff Girls, Mojo can finally take over Townsville, but Lex reveals that he announced he would take over prior, thus betraying him; Mojo is then kicked out of the Legion after assisting them. Bubbles apologizes to Blossom and Buttercup for fleeing as she did it out of fear of losing her, in which they forgive her as she still learns to struggle with it.
Mojo returns with the Powerpuff Girls' other enemies, who help him take on the Legion in retaliation of Lex betraying him. Mojo frees the heroes as payback and that they deserve each other's enemies to defeat. The Powerpuff Girls and the other liberated heroes defeat the Legion and store them in the stasis pods, with Bubbles battling a power-suited Lex throughout Townsville. Following their defeat, the heroes introduce themselves to one another before parting ways to return the Legion to their respective homes for arrest. The Girls then go to deal with Mojo and their other row of enemies who had left upon Mojo's payback.
In a mid-credits scene, the girls are called to head downtown during recess, where they encounter Black Adam and confront him, accompanied by Shazam, who was told about Adam's presence. In a post-credits scene, the fight commenced and Shazam and girls subdue Adam in the process.
== Voice cast ==
* Tara Strong as:
** Bubbles Utonium, the imaginative and energetic but naive member of the Powerpuff Girls.
**Raven, a member of the Teen Titans who is the daughter of Trigon. Strong reprises her role from Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go!.
* Cathy Cavadini as Blossom Utonium, the intelligent and moral leader of the Powerpuff Girls.
* E.G. Daily as Buttercup Utonium, the tomboyish member of the Powerpuff Girls.
* Roger L. Jackson as Mojo Jojo, the Powerpuff Girls' arch-enemy.
*Corey Burton as Professor Utonium, creator and father of the Powerpuff Girls. He was voiced by Tom Kane until his stroke in 2020 and his subsequent retirement in 2021.
*Tom Kenny as the Mayor of Townsville.
**Kenny also voices the narrator.
* Jennifer Hale as:
**Ms. Keane, teacher of Poaky Oaks.
**Lois Lane, reporter of the Daily Planet.
*John Lithgow as Lex Luthor, arch-enemy of Superman who is the CEO of LexCorp and leader of the Legion of Doom.
* Martin Short as the Joker, arch-enemy of Batman.
* Jack Black as the Penguin, crime boss of Gotham and one of the members of Batman's Rogue Gallery.
* Mayim Bialik as Dr. Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn, Joker's accomplice and girlfriend who was a former therapist before falling in love with Joker.
* Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle / Catwoman, a femme-fatale who with affection towards Batman. Kravitz had previously portrayed her in The Batman (2022).
* Emma Stone as Dr. Pamela Isley / Poison Ivy, a botanist and biochemist who is best friends with Harley and is an infatuated with Robin.
* Amy Sedaris as Mercy Graves, Lex's personal assistant and bodyguard.
* Paul Giamatti as Thaal Sinestro, Green Lantern's arch-enemy.
* Kathy Bates as Cheetah, arch-enemy of Wonder Woman.
* Jessica Chastain as Komand'r / Blackfire, sister of Starfire.
*Ron Perlman as Slade Wilson / Deathstroke, arch-enemy of Robin. Like Strong as Raven, Perlman reprises his role as Slade from Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go!.
*Pete Browngardt as:
**Gorilla Grodd, an enemy of the Flash who is a super-intelligent gorilla.
**Black Manta, arch-enemy of Aquaman.
* Brendan Fraser as Kal El / Clark Kent / Superman, protector of Metropolis who is the last Kryptonian now reporter of the Daily Planet.
* Alec Baldwin as Bruce Wayne / Batman, protector of Gotham City who is Gotham's well-known billionaire philanthropist.
* Mena Massound as Dick Grayson / Robin, Batman's ward and leader of the Teen Titans who was a member of the Flying Graysons.
* Rachel Weisz as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman, the Amazonian princess of Themyscira.
* Kathryn Newton as Koriand'r / Kory Anders / Starfire, the second-in-command of the Teen Titans and Robin's significant other who is the princess of Tamaran.
* Craig Robinson as Victor Stone / Cyborg, a cyberneticly enhanced human who was once a former football player and athlete. He is also a former member of the Teen Titans and current member of the Justice League.
* Jimmy Tatro as Garfield Logan / Beast Boy, a member of the Teen Titans with the ability of shape-shifting into any animal.
*Vince Vaughn as Hal Jordan / Green Lantern, a former fighter pilot and leader of the Green Lantern Corps.
*Jemaine Clement as Arthur Curry / Aquaman, an Atlantian demigod and king of Atlantis. Clement previously voiced the character in DC League of Super-Pets (2022).
*David Kaufman as Jimmy Olsen, a photojournalist of the Daily Planet. Kaufman reprises his role from the DC Animated Universe.
*Zachary Levi as as Shazam, Billy Batson's alter-ego when the Wizard's name is spoken. Levi reprises his role from the DC Extended Universe.
*Imari Williams as Teth-Adam / Black Adam, the former champion of the Wizard and arch-enemy of Billy Batson / Shazam. Williams had previously voiced the DC Extended Universe version of the character as an unlockable skin in MultiVersus.
== Production ==
=== Development ===
While there were no plans in a sequel to The Powerpuff Girls Movie, series creator Craig McCracken mentioned on Twitter that he once had an idea for a crossover episode for The Powerpuff Girls with Batman's arch-enemy, the Joker, coming to the City of Townsville; the pitch was rejected by Warner Bros. The idea of a crossover film between the Legion of Doom and the Powerpuff Girls was pitched since DC Comics and The Powerpuff Girls are both centered around the superhero genre that was "unexplored" by fans.
Lauren Faust, who was the storyboard artist on The Powerpuff Girls and developed DC Super Hero Girls, was announced as director of the film while also co-writing the script with Charlie Bean and Amy Keating Rogers. The series cast was announced to reprise their roles for this film while Corey Burton was cast as Professor Utonium, following his original voice actor Tom Kane suffering a stroke in November 2020 and subsequently retiring in September 2021. John Lithgow, Martin Short, Jack Black, Mayim Bialik, Zoë Kravitz, Emma Stone, Amy Sedaris, Paul Giamatti, Kathy Bates, Jessica Chastain, Brendan Fraser, Alec Baldwin, Mena Massound, Rachel Weisz, Kathryn Newton, Craig Robinson, Jimmy Tatro, Vince Vaughn, and Jemaine Clement were later announced voicing the DC characters.
=== Animation ===
Rough Draft Studios provided animation for the film. Designs for the DC characters in the film take inspiration from the DC Animated Universe by design and the early comics by appearance, while the characters' looks were to match the art style of the Powerpuff Girls franchise. Bardel Entertainment provided animation for the cel-shaded vehicles and for the scenes when the Hall of Doom moves.
== Music ==
Amie Doherty and James L. Venable (returning from the first film) were hired to compose the score for the film. Additional songs featured in the film include "Signal in the Sky" by The Apples in Stereo (previously used in The Powerpuff Girls episode "Superfriends") and The Powerpuff Girls' end credits theme by Bis. Television spots, meanwhile, used Smash Mouth's "Everyday Superhero"; Danny Elfman's Batman theme and John Williams' Superman theme.
== Release ==
The Powerpuff Girls and the Legion of Doom premiered at the Dolby Theatre on July 3, 2027, on The Powerpuff Girls Movie's 25th anniversary, and was released theatrically on July 30. Accompanied with the film is a short based on Dexter's Laboratory, Date with Destiny, where Mandark, having turned a new leaf following the events of A Boy and His Sister, takes Dee Dee out on a date.
The film also debuted Cartoon Network Studios' new theatrical opening logo, set in Cartoon Network City and showcasing a majority of the studio's characters, notably Dexter's Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Ben 10, Chowder, The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, Adventure Time, Regular Show, Steven Universe, Clarence, OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes, and Infinity Train with its fanfare composed by Regular Show composer Mark Mothersbaugh with musical cues taken from the Cartoon Cartoons theme, the montages to the 2008–2009 and 2010–2013 rebrands of Cartoon Network. Character animation was done by Primal Screen while the environment of CN City was done by Animal Logic.
=== Home media ===
The Powerpuff Girls and the Legion of Doom was released on digital platforms on October 5, 2027 and on Blu-ray and DVD on October 19; the Blu-ray bonus material includes The Powerpuff Girls episodes "Members Only" and "Super Zeroes" and a short film titled Hold That Lane, centered on Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen hired to report the Legion invading Townsville.
=== Marketing ===
A teaser trailer and official poster were released on January 1, 2027 (New Years' Day), followed by the theatrical trailer released on April 14.
The film's promotional partners for its marketing campaign included Jakks Pacific, McDonald's, and General Mills. The film was promoted television through television spots starting on May 3 and Warner Bros. Discovery-owned networks TBS airing the first film on July 1 along with Buttercup (reprised by E. G. Daily) as a guest host on Wipeout and Cartoon Network broadcasting a marathon of the original series on July 2. DC Comics released a prequel comic, The Powerpuff Girls and the Legion of Doom: Pre-Curses!, on June 23.
== Reception ==
=== Box office ===
The Powerpuff Girls and the Legion of Doom has grossed $57 million in the United States and Canada, and $71.2 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $128,2 million.
=== Critical response ===
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 73% of 148 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.9/10. The website's consensus reads, "The Powerpuff Girls and the Legion of Doom certainly shows off a humor-driven, action-packed chemistry between the two superhero-centered franchises that proves it's a match made in heaven." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 75 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale (same score as its predecessor).
Category:2027 films
Category:English-language films
Category:American animated films
Category:American action comedy films
Category:American children's animated action films
Category:American children's animated comedy films
Category:American children's animated comic science fiction films
Category:American children's animated superhero films
Category:American science fiction action films
Category:American films
Category:Animated Batman films
Category:Animated Justice League films
Category:Animated superhero comedy films
Category:Animated superhero crossover films‎
Category:Animated superheroine films
Category:Animated Superman films
Category:Animated films about sisters
Category:Animated films based on animated series
Category:Animated films based on DC Comics
Category:Animated superhero comedy films
Category:Animated superheroine films
Category:Films about children
Category:Films directed by Lauren Faust
Category:Films scored by Amie Doherty
Category:Films with screenplays by Charlie Bean
Category:Films with screenplays by Lauren Faust
Category:Films with screenplays by Amy Keating Rogers
Category:The Powerpuff Girls
Category:Science fiction comedy films
Category:Cartoon Network Studios films
Category:Rough Draft Studios films
Category:Warner Bros. films
Category:Warner Bros. animated films
Category:SmashupMashups's Ideas