Power Rangers(2017) bombed at the box office despite introducing what could have been an exciting new take onMighty Morphin Power Rangers, but after eight years, I’m finally excited about the future of the franchise again. While thePower RangersTV showcontinued just fine after the 2017 movie flopped, the fact that the firstPower Rangersproject for the big screen since 1997 turned out to be a commercial failure was not a good sign. I always thought thatPower Rangerscould be Hollywood’s next big superhero franchise, but after the reboot’s failure, I wasn’t so sure.
There have only beenthreePower Rangersmovies, two of which featured the cast of the TV show. In other words, the franchise has rarely tried something different and has preferred to focus its efforts on the TV show. However, as much as I love classicPower Rangersand all of its tropes, I’ve always wanted to see a more modern, big-budget take on this universe. Fortunately, this seems to be what we are getting with thenewPower Rangersseriesthat is reportedly in the works at Disney+.
Power Rangers (2017) Not Getting A Sequel Was Incredibly Frustrating
The Movie Planted The Seeds For A Larger Power Rangers Universe
While thePower Rangersmovie left a lot to be desired in terms of action and capturing the spirit of what aSuper Sentai-inspired property should be, it was a very inspired reimagining ofMighty Morphin Power Rangers. From Rita Repulsa being the original Green Ranger to Zordon sacrificing his only chance of restoring his body so that Billy could live,2017’sPower Rangerswas full of interesting ideas.Even the costumes, which I initially disliked, eventually grew on me. Most importantly, the reboot planted the seeds for what could have been an exciting movie franchise.
Power Rangers(2017) grossed $142 million on a reported budget of $120 million (viaThe Numbers).
This is whyPower Rangersbombing at the box officeand never having a sequel was so frustrating.Power Rangers2 would have most likely covered the “Green With Evil” arc, which, if done right, could’ve been even cooler in a theatrical movie than it was in the TV show. Lionsgate had bold plans forPower Rangersand envisioned multiple sequels to the 2017 reboot, which unfortunately never happened. Now, eight years later,Power Rangersfinally has another chance to grow beyond the traditional TV showwith what seems to be a reboot for the small screen.
Power Rangers’ New Show Means We Can Finally Have A New Take On The Franchise
The Disney+ Show Can Be A Fresh New Version Of Power Rangers
The problems withCosmic Furywere a reminder thatPower Rangersneeded to change, whether by experimenting with different formats or rebooting the entire show. While moving away from the continuity that we have followed since 1993 is risky,I believe that starting a newPower Rangersuniverse from scratch is a good movefor the franchise. We still don’t know much about the Disney+ series that is reportedly in the works, but according toDeadline, Toei and Saban are not involved.
Therefore, it is safe to say this newPower Rangersshow will be a reboot instead of season 31. Live-actionPower Rangersstill has a lot of untapped potential, especially compared to the comic books. From the characters to the lore, there is just so much that a modernPower Rangerscan do. Hopefully, the Disney+ series will be the start of a new, successfulPower Rangersuniverse in a way that the 2017 movie failed to be.
Power Rangers
Power Rangersis a long-running multimedia franchise that debuted in 1993 with the TV seriesMighty Morphin Power Rangers. Created by Haim Saban and adapted from the JapaneseSuper Sentaiseries,Power Rangersbecame a cultural phenomenon by combining action-packed footage fromSuper Sentaiwith new scenes featuring American actors. The franchise follows teams of young heroes who transform into Power Rangers to battle various villains, using martial arts, special powers, and giant mechas called Zords. Over the decades, the franchise has expanded into multiple TV series, films, comics, video games, and merchandise, becoming one of the most successful children’s franchises in the world.
