"The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" are heading to the big screen. Saban Entertainment's 1990's action-packed franchise is looking to get a modern reboot with new faces for the cast. The movie's tone will be grounded and mature but also completely playful.
The modern take for "Power Rangers" will be based on the same colorful band of superhero teenagers named Jason, Kimberly, Trini, Billy, and Zack who receives special powers which they use sensibly to transform into masked superheroes and fight crimes. At this time, there has been no official announcement from casting on who will reprise the roles of the crime-fighting teens.
The "Power Rangers" is actually based on the Super Sentai series (the Japanese Power Rangers). Despite this, the reboot might be heavily based on Western pop culture movies rather than following the roots of its original source. An article from The Bitbag says that the movie under development could use some cool ideas from Tokusatsu movies. Films such as "Pacific Rim" and the 2014 "Godzilla" are heavily inspired from Tokusatsu and received critical acclaim from both movie goers and long-time fans.
Roberto Orci ("The Amazing Spider-Man 2," "Star Trek") has signed on to be the executive producer. Screenwriters, Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz, are developing the storyline. The pair have worked with the producer on "X-Men: First Class" and "Thor." "Project Almanac's" Dean Israelite is expected to direct the film. Burk Sharpless and Matt Sazama of "The Last Witch Hunter" are said to have turned in an early draft of the script.
Israelite is now speaking out about the script and said that the movie will be really interesting. Apparently "Power Rangers" is generally regarded as a children's show but the director states that the script has turned out very mature and modern.
In an interview, Israelite said, "I read the script and was really surprised by it and thought there was a really cool, contemporary, mature but still playful, buoyant, and fun take on the material, and was updated in a really interesting way." He added that the new "Power Rangers" will be funny, yet completely grounded and realistic.
Lionsgate and Saban Brands announced the "Power Rangers" project in May. The film is expected to hit theaters Jan. 13, 2017.
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