After two and a half decades of successful TV shows and tie-in movies, the Power Rangers franchise is finally getting the big screen cinematic adaptation fans have been clamoring for. While the movie is very heavily influenced by several of the previous iterations of the Ranger team (primarily the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), it's also going to be one of the most different installments in the history of Power Rangers.
Part of that is simply due to budget. Power Rangers is being produced for over 100 million dollars, which should result in a production value that is significantly bigger than anything the franchise has seen before. In addition to that, the story is going to be a fresh start. Most of the other Rangers series maintain a loose continuity without any major reboots, making this the few times since Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in the early 90s that the rangers aren't inheriting a legacy from the previous generation.
To prepare fans for this new take on the franchise, Screen Rant has partnered with the cast of Power Rangers to produce a video detailing 10 Things You Need to Know About the Power Rangers.
While the cast members will bear the same names and colors of the original five TV Rangers, the actual characters might be a little more fleshed out. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and subsequent seasons tended to stick to more basic character archetypes and didn't rely as much on character development or interpersonal drama, but that changes in 2017. Jason, Billy, Zack, Kimberly, and Trini are all written as more complex characters that audience members their age will (hopefully) be able to identify with and younger viewers will be able to look up to.
Two big changes to the franchise are the fact that Billy, the Blue Ranger (played by RJ Cyler), is on the autism spectrum and Trini, the Yellow Ranger (played by Becky G.) is a LGBT character. While these elements may not be major plot points, the way the actors describe their characters in the video definitely show characters that bear those traits. Check out the video above for more information and some slick footage from the movie.
So far early reviews are mixed, but it seems like those just looking for simplistic popcorn entertainment (as Power Rangers has always been) are more than happy with the result. Obviously the real test will be once lifelong fans of the franchise watch it and start spreading word of mouth, but with five sequels already planned, Power Rangers will need to either impress critically, financially or both to ensure a continued future on the big screen.