Power Rangers: New Disney+ live-action series won't be coming after all
Showrunners of Percy Jackson and the Olympians were behind the planned adaptation
For over 30 years, the "Power Rangers" have appeared time and again in various TV series and movies. The latest adaptation was supposed to come from Disney+. But now the streaming service has apparently put the planned live-action series on hold, as reported by Deadline.
Development of the "Power Rangers" series began a year and a half ago. Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz, known as the showrunners of the "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series, were set to serve as writers and executive producers. But what are the reasons for the cancellation? According to unnamed sources cited by Deadline, it wasn't due to creative differences. Instead, financial considerations are said to be the reason the project was scrapped.
What the Power Rangers are all about
At its core, the adventures of the "Power Rangers" revolve around a group of teenagers who battle evil, supernatural forces to protect humanity. The members of this heroic team wear combat suits complete with helmets, allowing them to keep their identities secret. Conveniently, each suit is a different color, so viewers can easily tell the heroes apart at all times. To fight their enemies, they use not only various weapons but also giant battle robots. The "Power Rangers" concept was inspired by the Japanese Sentai genre, which essentially revolves around a team fighting evil, with each character also assigned a specific color.
The "Power Rangers" made their debut back in 1993 with a live-action series. Since then, numerous sequels and spin-offs have followed in the form of additional series and movies, as well as comics and books. The franchise is well known, which over the years has also led to several parodies and tongue-in-cheek references in other media. For example, within the video game "Grand Theft Auto V," there is a fictional animated series called "Kung Fu Rainbow Lazer Force" that pokes fun at the "Power Rangers" franchise.
Power Rangers: Movie was not followed up
Almost ten years ago, a "Power Rangers" movie with a star-studded cast hit theaters, which was supposed to lead to several sequels. The film was directed by Dean Israelite. The story was developed by Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Michele Mulroney, and Kieran Mulroney. The screenplay was written by John Gatins. The cast included Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, Becky G, Ludi Lin, Bill Hader, and Elizabeth Banks. Bryan Cranston also starred in the film; he had made a name for himself as a gifted character actor a few years earlier through his leading role in the acclaimed series "Breaking Bad."
But despite the star-studded cast, the film flopped. The "Power Rangers" movie grossed $142 million at the global box office. Given that the budget is said to have been $100 million, however, the earnings fell well short of expectations. As a result, the original plans for a continuation on the big screen were scrapped, and the planned sequels never materialized.
With the cancellation of the planned live-action series on Disney+, "Power Rangers" fans now have to deal with yet another setback. While this may be disappointing for many, given the franchise's longevity, we're confident it's only a matter of time before the next "Power Rangers" adaptation gets underway.
