Netflix has secured the rights to develop a live-action television series based on the beloved 1990s animated series "Captain Planet and the Planeteers," with Academy Award-winning actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio attached as executive producer.

The series is being produced through Greg Berlanti's Berlanti Productions, DiCaprio's Appian Way production company, and Warner Bros. Television. Tara Hernandez, known for co-creating Peacock's "Mrs. Davis" and her work on "The Big Bang Theory" and "Young Sheldon," has been tapped to write the adaptation. The executive producers include DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson from Appian Way, alongside Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Leigh London Redman from Berlanti Productions.

The latest development represents a significant shift from previous film attempts to a television format, which may provide more room to explore the source material's environmental themes and character development. The original "Captain Planet and the Planeteers" aired on TBS and in syndication from 1990 to 1996, running for six seasons. The animated series was created by media mogul Ted Turner and activist Barbara Pyle, who aimed to educate children about environmental issues through entertaining superhero stories.

The original story followed five teenagers from different continents who were given magical rings by Gaia, the spirit of Earth, each controlling different natural elements: earth, fire, wind, water, and heart. When environmental threats became too great for them to handle individually, the Planeteers would combine their powers to summon Captain Planet, a blue-skinned superhero who helped them defeat eco-villains and environmental disasters.

DiCaprio's involvement makes sense given his well-documented commitment to environmental causes and climate activism. His production company, Appian Way, has previously developed environmental documentaries and has been trying to bring "Captain Planet" to screens since 2016, when they first pursued a feature film adaptation with Paramount Pictures. That earlier project was set to star Glen Powell, but it never materialized despite years of development.

The rights to the "Captain Planet" property eventually reverted to Warner Bros. Discovery after the Paramount project stalled. Powell, who had been attached to star in and co-write the film version, is not involved in the Netflix series, though his co-writer Jono Matt will serve as a producer on the new show.

While Netflix has declined to comment on the adaptation, the project appears to be in early development stages. No casting announcements, production timeline, or premiere date have been revealed. The series will need to navigate the challenge of adapting the sometimes campy and earnest tone of the original cartoon for modern audiences while maintaining its environmental message.

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Netflix, Series, Show, Leonardo DiCaprio