Power Rangers (2017) had enormous potential and should’ve been the start of a cinematic universe based on the world of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Despite the popularity of the TV shows, the Power Rangers franchise doesn’t have the best track record on the movie side of things. The non-canon 1995 Mighty Morphin film was far from being a box office hit, while its sequel, a prelude to Power Rangers Turbo, felt like a TV movie featuring an extended pilot.
This is why, when Lionsgate’s Power Rangers movie was announced, I hoped that we were finally getting the big-budget Power Rangers film we deserved. Considering all the superhero franchises that were already taking over Hollywood at the time, bringing the Power Rangers back to the big screen seemed like a no-brainer. While Lionsgate was indeed confident about the IP and believed that Power Rangers could lead to multiple sequels, the 2017 movie bombed and never got a follow-up. This is particularly disappointing when we look at the potential of that universe.
Power Rangers (2017) Was A Great Start For A Potential Cinematic Universe
The Reboot Set Up A Lot Of Ideas That Power Rangers 2 Could’ve Explored
At a time when reboots of beloved IPs are so common, it can be surprising to learn that Power Rangers (2017) was the first-ever reboot of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The Power Rangers TV shows have mostly taken place in the same continuity since 1993, and while the franchise has changed a lot in 30 years, everything we saw in the original series remains canon. Therefore, Power Rangers (2017) had the difficult mission of recasting the original characters and delivering new versions of the “teenagers with atтιтude.”
While I have some problems with the Power Rangers film, especially regarding the lack of action, it is a fairly decent reboot that does a good job of introducing the characters. No kid was watching Mighty Morphin Power Rangers for character development, but the fact that the Rangers’ backstories or lives outside the school were rarely explored could be frustrating. The Power Rangers reboot, on the other hand, made us care about each of them before they morphed for the first time. The film also had a lot of fun new ideas, such as Zordon and Rita being former Rangers.
What Power Rangers 2 And Other Sequels Could’ve Looked Like
The Sequels Would’ve Had Decades’ Worth Of Lore To Explore
Power Rangers’ post-credits scene was a Tommy Oliver reference, suggesting that the next movie would have been about the Green Ranger. In the original series, we are introduced to Tommy in episode 17, the first of a five-episode arc centered on the evil Green Ranger. A movie adaptation of “Green With Evil” would have been very exciting, even more so because it would have been the first appearance of Tommy Oliver as the Green Ranger in a movie.
Tommy was the White Ranger in 1995 when the first movie came out. In 1997, he was the Zeo Red Ranger and became the Turbo Red Ranger during the second film.
The Green Ranger arc would have been one of many possibilities for Power Rangers 2 and other sequels to explore. From Lord Zedd’s arrival and the destruction of the Dino zords to the Ninjetti powers, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers could have given this movie franchise a plethora of options. That is not to mention the rest of the Zordon Era and all the other Power Rangers shows. With so many Rangers, villains, and locations ready to be brought onto the big screen, it is surprising that Power Rangers still hasn’t become a proper movie franchise.
