POWER RANGERS Reboot Brings Teenagers With Attitude Back To The Big Screen

By Adam Holmes on Wednesday, May 7th, 2014

Those spandex wearing, weapon-wielding, robot-piloting, fighting icons are getting another chance at a movie. Saban Brands and Lionsgate have announced that they are working on a film reboot of the popular 1990s kids show Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. The film will re-envision the Rangers, “a group of high school kids who are infused with unique and cool super powers but must harness and use those powers as a team if they have any hope of saving the world.” The press release also hints that this could be the first of a “new film franchise.”

This isn’t the big screen outing for the Rangers. Mighty Morphin’ Powers Rangers: The Movie was released in 1995 and Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie came out two years later. The original series ran from 1993-1995, and has released multiple spinoffs in the years since featuring different teams. The franchise celebrated its 20th anniversary last year with Power Rangers: Megaforce, and will begin airing Power Rangers: Dino Charge next year. This isn’t the first mention of bringing the Power Rangers back to the silver screen. Last year, Jason David Frank, who played Tommy in the original series, mentioned talking with Saban about a darker, PG-13 Green Ranger movie.

Hell yes!

I was a big Power Rangers fan as a kid and occasionally peek in on what they’re doing these days. While the franchise isn’t the powerhouse it was in the ’90s, it’s experienced a revitalization since it started airing on Nickelodeon. A new generation of kids are being exposed to the multi-colored monster fighters, and it makes sense that Saban is taking the next step to propel the franchise forward. Of course, you’d have to be blind not to see how cheesy and ridiculous the shows actually are, but that’s part of the charm.

That being said, the press release makes no mention of what the film’s tone will be. Will it be kid-friendly, or will it take the Transformers, GI-Joe and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles route and give us a PG-13 version. I’m hoping for the latter. It’s not that I’m against something being kid-friendly or lighthearted, but the today’s youth already have the television shows. Let the older crowd get their nostalgia meter filled with a gritty and darker interpretation of a show may of them watched. An interpretation where when the characters get hit, they actually get hurt instead of sparks flying off them. Seriously, what is that costume material made of?

Megazords with a film budget? Count me in!

And if they’re wise, they’ll bring back most of the original cast to make cameos. Frank may not be playing the Green Ranger in the film, but he can still kick some monster ass.