Eco-villains beware, it looks like 1990s-obsessed fans may eventually be able to feast their eyes on a Captain Planet and the Planeteers movie, courtesy of everyone’s favorite real life environmental superhero, Leonardo DiCaprio!
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount and Appian Way, Leonardo DiCaprio’s production company, are in talks to bring everyone’s favorite green-mulleted superhero to the big screen. The studio is currently angling for the rights to the classic 1990s animated series, and is eyeing the writing duo of Scream Queens and Everybody Wants Some!! star Glen Powell and Jono Matt to the script.
The most fascinating aspect about this news is what could be done with the story. As cited by The Hollywood Reporter article, “the story takes place years after the adventures of the show, with the Captain now a washed-up has-been who needs the kids more than they need him.” Logically, we know a remake of the series in its original form wouldn’t necessarily work for today’s cinematic audiences, and although “darker” stories don’t always work, it’s fun to think where this idea could lead.
Environmental causes are in the forefront of most news cycles these days so there’s definitely some intriguing thoughts to be had. If it’s set in modern day, will the big baddie be climate change? Will Andy Serkis play a eerily lifelike, CG-animated version of Verminous Skumm? Do the over-the-top eco-villains have much evil-doing to do these days with the current state of things? Are they even necessary? Since it’s years later, does that mean we’re looking at thirtysomething Planeteers? (If anything, that’d mitigate Hollywood’s trend of trying to cast thirtysomethings as high schoolers.) What do you do with a magic elemental ring if you’re not stopping Hoggish Greedly on a daily basis? Or perhaps most important of all, will Don Cheadle reprise his role as the captain?
We’re guessing “no” on that last question, but we can’t wait to see how this news unfolds.
What hopes do you have for the Captain Planet film? Who would you cast as the Planeteers? Lets discuss in the comments below!
Image: Warner Bros./DIC Entertainment
