Cartoon Network rebooting Craig McCracken classics 'The Powerpuff Girls' & 'Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends'

A pair of Cartoon Network classics are coming back to the small screen. Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe announced Monday that it has officially joined forces with Emmy-winning animator, director, and producer Craig McCracken (Netflix's Kid Cosmic) for reboots of two beloved shows he originally created: The Powerpuff Girls and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.

"The Hanna-Barbera homecoming of Craig was an opportunity we could not pass up," Sam Register, President of Cartoon Network Studios, Warner Bros. Animation, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe, said in a statement. "Along with his unparalleled sense of fun and imagination, he’s bringing two of his greatest works in The Powerpuff Girls and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends and we are so excited for these characters to be a part of the new legacy taking shape at the studio."

"So excited to partner with an incredible studio to develop new characters and stories for two of my favorite creations!" McCracken added on Twitter.

The Powerpuff Girls reboot is said to build out the mythos of the original series with super-powered youngsters Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup facing off against villains both old and new. Right now, it's unclear if Cathy Cavadini, Tara Strong, or E. G. Daily will reprise their voice roles for the titular trio. 

This is the second animated Powerpuff Girls revamp after Cartoon Network brought the property back for three additional seasons between 2016 and 2019 (the original iteration of the show spanned six seasons and a feature-length film between 1995 and 2005). In addition, The CW filmed a live-action pilot based on the cartoon, but did not hand down a full series order. McCracken was not involved with either of them.

"It's one of these things where I don't own those characters [they] are owned by…well, I don't even know who owns it now because of the Warner Bros. / AT&T merger," he explained to SYFY WIRE in 2020." It's one of those companies that owns the rights, so they can do what they want with it."

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, on the other hand, will receive the preschool treatment with "a new cast of preschool-aged imaginary friends," reads the official synopsis provided by Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe. "But don’t let their young age fool you, this new lot is just as silly and playful as the original bunch."

Known for its kazoo-heavy theme song, zany visuals, a memorable ensemble of colorful characters (Bloo! Coco! Wilt! Eduardo! Cheese!), and a general sense of whimsy, Foster's Home ran for a total of six seasons and picked up an accompanying six Emmys between 2004 and 2009.

The show takes place at a grand old manor house, where imaginary friends of all shapes, sizes, and dispositions go to live once their creators become adults. An endlessly creative meditation on what it means to come of age and the importance of fostering (pun intended) creativity in a developing mind, the IP remains one of the brightest and heartwarming jewels in the Cartoon Network crown.

Sarah Fell — VP, Original Kids and Family Animation, Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe — has been tapped to oversee production on both reboots. 

Looking for more kid-friendly animation? Trollstopia, Dragons: Rescue Riders, and The Croods: Family Tree are all streaming on Peacock.