POLL: Would you see a PG-13 Power Rangers reboot?
And could a movie that epic be on the horizon?
By Ryan Thomas Mitchell - 5/16/2012
For years, fans of the Power Rangers (strange people like myself) have dreamed of a big-budget film reboot, one which took the characters seriously and delivered the goods: PG-13 violence, a sense of realism, big-name actors, the works.
The Power Rangers' most prominent cast member was Jason David Frank, who played Tommy Oliver over the course of several seasons (He was the Green/White/Red/Black Ranger, obviously). Not too long ago, he revealed that he shares the fans' wish, and they went bonkers.
Sadly, the desires of a hardcore-but-small fanbase and its most beloved actor haven't been enough to put such a film into motion. Most likely, Saban and co. aren't certain that a Power Rangers film would rake in the dough.
In my opinion, there's only one way to change their minds: DVD sales. On August 21st, Shout! Factory will release Season 1, Volume 1 of the original Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers.
While the Power Rangers may not pull a significant release-date demand, I'm willing to bet that anyone who grew up with the show won't be able to pass these DVD's up once they see them in stores. Most of those people have grown up and somehow aren't fond of giant robots or dinosaurs anymore... But how fun would it be to invite a few friends over, grab some beers, and laugh at the cheesy dialogue, villains, effects...
Okay, so maybe the show is cheesy, but there's something special about the 90's martial arts craze that many twentysomethings look back on with fond memories. Nostalgia is a powerful thing.
If the DVD sets start moving off the shelves (not flying, just moving), the next logical step is an increase in merchandise sales. From time to time, I've seen cool Power Rangers shirts and such at places like Hot Topic, and I'm willing to bet that big kids like me would eat that stuff up if we had the DVDs to remind us of the good ol' days, back when our biggest problem was beating Power Rangers on the SNES. Damn that game was hard.
The Power Rangers' loyal fanbase is relatively small, not large enough to entice studios to make a big-budget movie. But the casual buyers are the ones who can make their dream a reality. The difference will be made by guys who stumble upon the DVD's and say, "Oh, yeah. I used to love this show. Maybe I should check this out and laugh about how dumb I was as a kid."
Let's say my prediction comes true and the Power Rangers start generating money again. Could a Power Rangers movie even work today? Well, if Battleship can have a movie, why can't "five teenagers with attitude" who pilot Dinozords?
Personally, for such a movie to work, I think it'd have to be a little self-aware and tongue-in-cheek. Still, it'd be awesome to see the Power Rangers get really violent. After all, the Puddies aren't actually people... Should parents be that upset if the Rangers dismember one here or there? What are those weapons for if not cutting the limbs off of Rita's minions?
Something I'd be really interested in seeing is the Power Rangers' lives outside of saving Angel Grove from giant monsters. Don't they have families and schoolwork to worry about? Juggling a fast food job and Power Ranger duties could get pretty hectic. And what are you supposed to do if your wrist communicator goes off in the middle of a date? It's not crazy to think that the Power Rangers could be relatable and interesting to kids who grew up without the show. Just let Channing Tatum play Zordon and it's a done deal.
All joking aside, would you see a PG-13 Power Rangers reboot? Do you think it could even work? Take the poll and let's find out!
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