Yesterday we celebrated the 25th Anniversary of Power Rangers with my pitch for an animated series. And that was a lot of fun, but some of you Power Rangers fans may be looking towards the big screen. So this is my pitch for a new Power Rangers movie that would be both a sequel to the 2017 film and a loose adaptation of Lord Drakkon story from the recent comics.
So what possessed me to continue off of the 2017 film. I wasn't crazy about it to be honest. I didn't really like the new versions of old characters, I didn't like how slow it felt, and I'm not a fan of the designs of the suits, Rita, or even the Zords. But what I did like was the modern take on the teens. Like, they were actually teenagers with attitudes and not just a bunch of community service goodie-goods. And I liked the time given to develop their characters and their powers. But other than that it all felt very generic and dull. And while I'd love to do a film where we flesh out those characters further or see how they grow or introduce a new version of Tommy, I think there is a a very obvious storyline that would help make this movie stand out.
In Boom Studio's "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers" comic, written by Kyle Higgins, The Power Rangers end up fighting a mysterious new villain known as Lord Drakkon. When Tommy and Billy travel to his world they find it to be an alternate future of Earth where Tommy remained Rita's subject, obtained a new layer of power, and enslaved the Earth. Essentiality answering the question most Power Rangers have asked being "what would have happened if Tommy stayed evil". And I think this is a plot you want to use. Mainly because most people recognize the Green Ranger. I have several friends who aren't big Power Rangers fans, they know little to nothing about the series, but when questioned about their favorite Ranger or an episode they remember vividly, it was when The Green Ranger showed up. It was the first case of "I'm you, but evil" in the lives of many young viewers. It also helps that Tommy's actor Jason David Frank is the poster boy of the entire franchise, ofter reappearing in other Power Ranger seasons and conventions. People love him just as much as he loves the franchise.
And that brings me to the third corner of this movie pitch: bring back the old actors. Like I said the plot takes place in the future which means if you have any surviving Rangers, they could be played by the old actors. Now some of these characters obviously don't work. 2017 Billy/Blue Ranger is African-American unlike his 90's counterpart, and the opposite is the case for Zach/Black Ranger. And due to the passing of Trini's actress in the 2000's she obviously can't appear. However, Austin St. John (who played Jason), Amy Jo Johnson (who played Kimberly), and Jason David Frank (Tommy) could all return to play the future versions of their characters AND match up racially to their younger selves.
The film would consist on future Kimberly (played by AJJ) going back in time to kill Tommy (new actor) before he can become The Green Ranger, but The Rangers stop her. Before she can explain her time travel device reaches it's expiration and she is sucked back to the future with the 2017 Rangers. Now in this dystopian future, The Young Rangers have to help Kim and her rebellion of supporting characters like Bulk & Skull, and would-be Rangers like Rocky, Adam, and Aisha (all of whom are played by their old actors) fight back against the army of Lord Drakkon (JDF). Through the story The Rangers would learn about the lives their future selves lived. Trini died like a badass, Zack managed to scar Lord Drakkon, and Billy sacrificed himself to save Kim. In their mission to recover old Zords and train rebel fighters, Jason would have his own journey where he goes off to find his future self. Jason would learn his future self (played by ASJ) is the prisoner of Lord Drakkon.
The Rangers free Old Jason, they reactive some Zords, Old Jason reluctantly kills Drakkon, and the world is saved. And the 2017 Rangers last job is make sure Tommy doesn't become Lord Drakkon in their timeline. But taking what they know, the kids have a better idea. Flashback to 2018 where Tommy has become The Green Ranger and he and Rita are destroying Angel Grove. The 2017 Rangers return and kick their asses, Rita leaves Tommy to die, but The Rangers save him from falling off a cliff or something. So instead of Tommy becoming their greatest enemy, he becomes their newest ally.
You get to continue the 2017 film with a new villain-turned-hero who worries over his potential evil future, and you may even get a new franchise of retired Rangers trying to fix their broken world! So, yeah, just mix the emotional character stuff from the 2017 movie, the time travel craziness from the comic, and the nostalgia of the 1990's show, and you got a recipe for a Power Rangers movie everyone would love!
Thanks for reading!
Would you watch this movie? Comment below!
In Boom Studio's "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers" comic, written by Kyle Higgins, The Power Rangers end up fighting a mysterious new villain known as Lord Drakkon. When Tommy and Billy travel to his world they find it to be an alternate future of Earth where Tommy remained Rita's subject, obtained a new layer of power, and enslaved the Earth. Essentiality answering the question most Power Rangers have asked being "what would have happened if Tommy stayed evil". And I think this is a plot you want to use. Mainly because most people recognize the Green Ranger. I have several friends who aren't big Power Rangers fans, they know little to nothing about the series, but when questioned about their favorite Ranger or an episode they remember vividly, it was when The Green Ranger showed up. It was the first case of "I'm you, but evil" in the lives of many young viewers. It also helps that Tommy's actor Jason David Frank is the poster boy of the entire franchise, ofter reappearing in other Power Ranger seasons and conventions. People love him just as much as he loves the franchise.
And that brings me to the third corner of this movie pitch: bring back the old actors. Like I said the plot takes place in the future which means if you have any surviving Rangers, they could be played by the old actors. Now some of these characters obviously don't work. 2017 Billy/Blue Ranger is African-American unlike his 90's counterpart, and the opposite is the case for Zach/Black Ranger. And due to the passing of Trini's actress in the 2000's she obviously can't appear. However, Austin St. John (who played Jason), Amy Jo Johnson (who played Kimberly), and Jason David Frank (Tommy) could all return to play the future versions of their characters AND match up racially to their younger selves.
The film would consist on future Kimberly (played by AJJ) going back in time to kill Tommy (new actor) before he can become The Green Ranger, but The Rangers stop her. Before she can explain her time travel device reaches it's expiration and she is sucked back to the future with the 2017 Rangers. Now in this dystopian future, The Young Rangers have to help Kim and her rebellion of supporting characters like Bulk & Skull, and would-be Rangers like Rocky, Adam, and Aisha (all of whom are played by their old actors) fight back against the army of Lord Drakkon (JDF). Through the story The Rangers would learn about the lives their future selves lived. Trini died like a badass, Zack managed to scar Lord Drakkon, and Billy sacrificed himself to save Kim. In their mission to recover old Zords and train rebel fighters, Jason would have his own journey where he goes off to find his future self. Jason would learn his future self (played by ASJ) is the prisoner of Lord Drakkon.
The Rangers free Old Jason, they reactive some Zords, Old Jason reluctantly kills Drakkon, and the world is saved. And the 2017 Rangers last job is make sure Tommy doesn't become Lord Drakkon in their timeline. But taking what they know, the kids have a better idea. Flashback to 2018 where Tommy has become The Green Ranger and he and Rita are destroying Angel Grove. The 2017 Rangers return and kick their asses, Rita leaves Tommy to die, but The Rangers save him from falling off a cliff or something. So instead of Tommy becoming their greatest enemy, he becomes their newest ally.
You get to continue the 2017 film with a new villain-turned-hero who worries over his potential evil future, and you may even get a new franchise of retired Rangers trying to fix their broken world! So, yeah, just mix the emotional character stuff from the 2017 movie, the time travel craziness from the comic, and the nostalgia of the 1990's show, and you got a recipe for a Power Rangers movie everyone would love!
Thanks for reading!
Would you watch this movie? Comment below!
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