When we first learned that Hasbro had teamed with Netflix for a new slate of Power Rangers movies and TV shows, excitement among fans was high.
Sadly, even with Jenny Klein (Jessica Jones) tapped as showrunner for the TV series and Jonathan Entwistle (The End of the F***ing World) serving as the franchise's creative lead, the whole thing fell apart for reasons which still aren't fully clear.
That's left the Power Rangers franchise in limbo but we bring you a positive update today courtesy of scooper Daniel Richtman (via ComicBookMovie.com).
He claims that a new live-action movie is now in development and reveals plans for an animated TV show as well. We have no intel beyond that but a resurgence for the property may be on the horizon. The 2017 movie was meant to breathe new life into the property but made too many missteps and fans walked away unhappy.
The Power Rangers franchise began in 1993 with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, a TV series created by Haim Saban and Shuki Levy. It was adapted from Japan's Super Sentai series, blending footage of Japanese action sequences with newly filmed American scenes. The show became an instant hit, captivating kids with its mix of martial arts, giant robots, and colourful costumes.
The Rangers were ordinary teenagers who transformed into superheroes to fight evil forces, usually led by the villain Rita Repulsa. The success of the original series led to multiple sequels and spin-offs, each introducing new teams of Rangers, such as Power Rangers Zeo, Turbo, and In Space.
Over time, the franchise expanded into films, comic books, toys, and video games, becoming a pop culture phenomenon. As noted, a 2017 effort meant to capitalise on the success of superheroes fell flat so we're hoping this next take returns to the series' roots, Zords and all.
Will Klein still be involved with whatever comes next? Gabe Marano, EVP, Scripted Television, US, eOne, spoke highly of what she was bringing to the table with the now-scrapped Netflix slate.
"Building this partnership with Jenny, whose talent and passion transcends genres, is an exciting moment for us. We believe that her distinctive vision makes her the perfect fit to help us develop Hasbro’s deep library of IP, as well as original projects, and we’re thrilled to have her on board," Gabe Marano, EVP, Scripted Television, US, eOne, said in a statement today.
"eOne is an impressively versatile home to develop original content, and with its incredible toy box to dig into, it’s such an exciting place to be," Klein added. "I couldn’t feel prouder to bring its beloved IP to viewers."
eOne still falls under the Hasbro umbrella so it's possible those original ideas are now just evolving with a new studio or streaming partner. Either way, the future does look slightly brighter for the Power Rangers this holiday season.
As always, stay tuned for updates as we have them.