It was August 28, 1993 when Haim Saban and Shuki Levy premiered their “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers,” birthing an iconic entry into the annals of pop-culture. Now with 20 television seasons of 17 diversely themed series and two theatrical films under it’s belt, the Power Rangers brand is heading back to the big screen with a reboot in mind.
Power Rangers was cultivated in the decade of slap bracelets and acid washed jeans, a starkly different time than we live in today. It is that lapsing of time that presents a challenge for the purposefully campy action series. How will the production team repurpose the story of a half dozen good hearted high school students who are granted mystical powers for the purpose of protecting the peace to be palatable for today’s audience?
A lot of that depends on two major factors. First, who will be the director? With no names attached to project as of yet, this factor could very well make or break the potential for a film franchise. Bringing on a veteran director with a definitive vision, perhaps with experience in the super-hero or action film arena, would be instrumental to a successful re-launch. That is of course if the production team and studio don’t want to have authoritative control over the project, which in my opinion would result in disaster. The second factor is going to revolve around who will be penning the script? Well, that we know and I for one am quite pleased with the selection. A few weeks ago, Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz, the same writing force behind the well-built “X-Men: First Class,” were officially hired to start on the script which definitely gives some clout to the fledgling project. With the writers already on board, besides selecting a director the next move will be casting believable and action capable actors to fill the rainbow of suits that comprise the fearsome ranger team. I do believe that, no matter who they cast, if there is a strong script and capable director even a line-up of no names would work. It did the first time around anyway.
Given the general advancement of film and special effects since the late 90’s coupled with the abundance of super-heros and clashing humanoid machines on the big screen, I think it is safe to say whatever route Lionsgate decides to take, “Power Rangers” will be nothing short of spectacular with an abundance of hollywood tools at the ready.
Lionsgate’s “Power Ranger” is set hit theaters on July 22, 2016 the same day as Warner’s “King Arthur.” If done right, the mighty morphin team may spell disaster for the knights of the round table. As Alpha 5 would say, “ay yai yai Zordon!”
Who do you think should be cast in the upcoming “Power Rangers” movie? Comment below and let us know.