It’s been five years since Glen Powell was attached to write a Captain Planet movie, but the Top Gun: Maverick star is still committed to taking pollution down to zero. Powell intends to write and star in the eco-hero pic for Leonardo DiCaprio‘s Appian Way Productions. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Powell confirmed that the project, which was announced back in 2018, is still in the works with Warner Bros., but he needs to see “where all the superhero stuff kind of lands there,” referring to the current shake-up happening with the studio’s DC Comics properties.
Powell went on to say “I know DiCaprio is super passionate about it. 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.” Given the series’ ecological focus, it’s no surprise that DiCaprio, who has famously been outspoken about environmental causes, is involved in its production.
Debuting in 1990 on TBS and syndication, the animated series Captain Planet and the Planeteers was the brainchild of media mogul and environmentalist Ted Turner. The show centered around a pan-global team of teens, the Planeteers, who were assembled and empowered by Gaia, the spirit of the Earth. They wielded the elemental powers of wind, water, earth, fire, and heart against a colorful cast of rapacious environment-destroying villains — from mad scientists to rat mutants to space aliens. When their foes proved too overwhelming (usually by the end of the episode), the Planeteers could combine their powers to summon Captain Planet, a blue-skinned, green-haired wise-cracking superhero whose vast powers always routed evil before the credits rolled. The show initially featured an all-star cast of voice actors, including Meg Ryan, Whoopi Goldberg, Martin Sheen, Jeff Goldblum, and LeVar Burton; it ran for six seasons, from 1990 to 1996, producing 113 episodes.
Powell‘s star has been on the rise for some time, with roles in Scream Queens, Everybody Wants Some!, and Set It Up, but his memorable turn as Lieutenant Jake “Hangman” Seresin in this summer’s megahit Top Gun: Maverick has catapulted him to breakout status. Last year he also appeared alongside fellow 2022 breakout star Jonathan Majors in the Korean War drama Devotion, and will next star in the Richard Linklater action-comedy Hitman.
Will Captain Planet finally hit the big screen, or will eco-villainy triumph? Stay tuned to Collider for future updates, and remember — the power is yours.
via Collider