Mighty Morphin' Power Rangerstook the world by storm when it premiered in 1993, launching a franchise that’s managed to last for over 30 years, spawning multiple television shows andefforts to cash in on that success.But efforts to revitalize the franchise haven’t been the success that Power Rangers fans would expect. 2017’sPower Rangersmovie attempted to put a modern spin on the concept, but it didn’t take off.Jonathan Entwistle(Karate Kid: Legends) planned out a truly epic expansion of the franchise, until Netflix pumped the brakes on the project.
But now Disney+ isaiming to give the franchise a new spinwith a series developed byJonathan E. SteinbergandDan Shotz.If this series is a success, it could also mean thatDisney has another major franchise on its hands.
The New Power Rangers Series Could Finally Fulfill a Longtime Disney Goal
Disney has almost always struggled to attract one market of viewers: young males. Acquiring Marvel and Lucasfilm — particularly the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises - seemed to solve that problem. But in recent years, the franchises that should have been surefire hits have stumbled.Thunderbolts*, despite receiving some of the best reviews of any Marvel Studios movie, underperformed at the box office. Lucasfilm has been struggling to figure out how to bring Star Wars back to the big screen following the unfavorable reception toStar Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker.
Doing a Power Rangers series could be a great way to hook that demographic, especially since the entire concept of the Power Rangers boils down to “teenagers with superpowers.” It also doesn’t hurt that Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz have delivered another major hit for Disney+ in the form ofPercy Jackson and the Olympians. LikePower Rangers, it features a young hero in the titular Percy Jackson (Scobell Walker), who learns to master his demigod powers and deal with the machinations of the gods.Percy Jackson and the Olympians won over hardcore fans andhas been renewed for two more seasons, which bodes well for Steinberg and Shotz’s take on the Power Rangers.
‘Power Rangers’ Has Plenty of Material for Film and TV, Especially Where the BOOM! Studios Comics Are Concerned
If Steinberg and Shotz want to bring an entirely new take to the Power Rangers, they havethe perfect roadmap in the form of BOOM! Studios' Power Rangers comics. These comics have managed to expand upon the Power Rangers lore in surprising ways, while also presenting their original takes on the entire Rangers concept.Power Rangers PrimebyMelissa FloresandMichael Ygpresents a world where the Power Rangers are not only wanted fugitives, but a group of teenagers who don’t have the bond of previous Ranger teams. On top of that, they get their powers from former Power Rangers arch-nemesis Rita Repulsa! Another comics storyline, “Beyond The Grid” byMaguerite BennettandSimone di Meo, teleported a random group of Rangers into the furthest reaches of the universe, where they learned to harness the power of the Solar Rangers.
Utilizing the Solar Rangers for the new Disney+ series won’t just give Steinberg and Shotz a fresh slate, but it could be a great cosmic road trip story, similar to how the first season ofPercy Jackson and the Olympianswas structured. There’s one major storyline from the comics that is worthy of being put on the big screen: “Shattered Grid” byKyle HigginsandDaniele Di Nicuolo. In “Shattered Grid,” Lord Drakkon, an evil alternate version of Green Ranger Tommy Oliver, plans to gain ultimate powerby accessing the Morphing Grid and attacking every Power Ranger team across history.That’s a concept that’s begging to be brought to the big screen, as it could matchAvengers: Infinity WarandAvengers: Endgamein terms of sheer scale and potential nostalgia…. Especially if it manages to bring back certain Ranger actors. While there are no plans to bring the Power Rangers back to the silver screen, it wouldn’t be surprising if the new show does build up to a theatrical story.
“It Was Such a Mistake": ‘Power Rangers' Head Writer Admits to Major Casting Blunder
“None of us [were] thinking.”
Disney Previously Owned the Rights To ‘Power Rangers’ — and One Installment Is the Perfect Template for a New Series
Power Rangers fans might remember that the new seriesisn’t the first time Disney has been involved with the franchise. Back in 2001,Disney wound up buying the rights to Power Rangers, which led to some of the strongest entries in Rangers history. Probably one of the most iconic series in the Disney era wasPower Rangers Dino Thunder. Not only didDino Thunderfeel like a throwback toMighty Morphin PowerRangers' halcyon days, but it even brought back a legendary ranger, withJason David Frank’s Tommy Oliver serving as a mentor to a new generation. More importantly, the Dino Thunder Rangers felt like actual teenagers, as they dealt with issues that included dating and homework in addition to saving the world.Power Rangers Dino Thunderalso has one of the series' most iconic antagonists in the reptilian Mesogog, who turns out to be far more complicated than you’d expect. While plans for the new Power Rangers series aren’t set in stone, there’s plenty of inspiration to draw from and plenty of promise when it comes to a new franchise.
