Netflix Is Developing A Live-Action ‘Captain Planet’ Series

With live-action adaptations of animated hits all the rage at major studios and raking in money at the box office – ‘Lilo & Stitch’ just became the first Hollywood feature of 2025 to cross $1 billion – Netflix is jumping on board the remake trend with a new Captain Planet and the Planeteers live-action series in the works.

No word yet on whether Don Cheadle might appear in the new series after his turn in the viral Funny or Die shorts.

As reported by Deadline, the project, currently in development, will be produced by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way, Greg Berlanti’s Berlanti Productions, and Warner Bros. Television.

Originally conceived by media mogul Ted Turner, Captain Planet followed five global teens who used their elemental-powered rings to summon the eco-conscious superhero, Captain Planet, in their fight against environmental threats. Airing from 1990 to 1996 across TBS and syndication, the show became a pop-culture symbol of environmental activism for an entire generation, and its theme song proved an unforgettable hit.

DiCaprio, whose Appian Way has been active in environmental documentaries such as Virunga and Ice on Fire, seems a fitting partner for the property’s revival. Tara Hernandez, co-creator of Peacock’s Mrs. Davis, will pen the adaptation.

This Netflix series marks a pivot from earlier live-action film plans that never materialized. A feature project, once set up at Paramount Pictures in 2016, stalled and saw its rights revert to Warner Bros. Discovery.

The series format at Netflix may prove more sustainable, particularly under Berlanti, whose track record with superhero content, including the CW’s Arrowverse, positions him well to handle the tonal balance of adventure and environmental messaging.