By
Tom Russell
Published 23 minutes ago
Tom is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, with expertise covering all things Classic TV from hilarious sitcoms to jaw-dropping sci-fi.
Initially he was an Updates writer, though before long he found his way to the Classic TV team. He now spends his days keeping Screen Rant readers informed about the TV shows of yesteryear, whether it's recommending hidden gems that may have been missed by genre fans or deep diving into ways your favorite shows have (or haven't) stood the test of time.
Tom is based in the UK and when he's not writing about TV shows, he's watching them. He's also an avid horror fiction writer, gamer, and has a Dungeons and Dragons habit that he tries (and fails) to keep in check.
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The Power Rangers franchise has delivered everything from genre-defining teen-superhero TV to ambitious video games, but few entries disappointed longtime fans more than the 2017 Power Rangers movie. It arrived with enormous expectations and a clear intent to evolve the Rangers for a new generation, yet the final product left audiences torn. For a brand built on color-coded unity, this reboot struggled to find its identity.
That’s not to say it was without strengths. Lionsgate's Power Rangers movie offered striking visuals, fun character work, and standout moments for the revamped Mighty Morphin’ rangers. Still, it ultimately let down fans. Instead of launching a full cinematic universe as planned, the reboot underperformed so sharply that every sequel, spinoff, and long-term film ambition was scrapped before getting started.
Fortunately, the rangers weren’t defeated. The franchise remains strong, and its next evolution is nearly here. Power Rangers is officially returning on Disney+ with a complete reboot. It’s an exciting moment not only because the brand is moving forward again, but because the new show is poised to finally deliver on everything that worked about the 2017 film, this time with the foundation it always deserved.
Power Rangers Fans Deserved A Sequel To The 2017 Reboot
Fans Waited Years For The High-Budget Vision The 2017 Movie Promised
When the 2017 Power Rangers movie hit theaters, Lionsgate wasn’t just hoping for a solid hit, it was planning a franchise. The studio envisioned a sprawling, multi-film blockbuster saga that would take the rangers to cinematic heights they had never experienced before. Even the film’s cliffhanger tease of Tommy Oliver made those plans clear.
However, the underwhelming box office numbers ensured that sequel never materialized. Despite that commercial disappointment, many Power Rangers fans genuinely embraced what the reboot attempted. For decades, the franchise had been defined by limited TV budgets, recycled footage, and rapid production schedules.
The 2017 movie flipped that on its head with slick visuals, polished suits, a fully CGI Zord battle, and a modern reinterpretation of Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks). For once, the Rangers looked and felt like a true studio-scale superhero property. Now, nearly a decade later, fans still discuss what a sequel could’ve delivered.
The world-building was strong too, and the Liongsate’s long-term Power Rangers cinematic roadmap had real potential. After following Power Rangers through countless seasons, rebrands, and tonal shifts, the fandom more than deserved to see Hollywood-level storytelling continue across multiple films. The promise was there, it just never had the opportunity to grow.
Disney+'s Power Rangers Is The Perfect Replacement For The Failed Movie Franchise
The Upcoming Reboot Could Be The Spiritual Successor The Ranger Fandom Has Been Waiting For
The next major chapter of Power Rangers won’t be another movie, it will be the upcoming Disney+ reboot. This new series marks a rare moment in Ranger history: the first time Power Rangers will be produced without relying on Super Sentai footage since the 2017 film. Instead, everything, from the suits to the Zords to the fight choreography, will be developed entirely from scratch.
That alone makes the reboot a monumental shift. While the Power Rangers movie franchise collapsed under financial pressure, the Disney+ show arrives with Disney-level backing and the freedom to build a complete universe tailored specifically for Western audiences. For the first time in decades, Power Rangers can craft its visual language, tone, and mythology without needing to align with pre-existing Japanese action scenes.
This positions the Disney+ Power Rangers reboot as the ideal spiritual successor to the 2017 film. Much like the movie, it aims for a cinematic level of polish. However, it will also have the benefit of serialized storytelling, world-building, and the long-term stability streaming can offer. Every creative choice is being constructed intentionally rather than retrofitted around Sentai footage, giving the series the flexibility to fully modernize the franchise.
If the reboot lives up to expectations, it could finally deliver the grounded worldbuilding, cohesive aesthetic, and large-scale production value that 2017’s Power Rangers hinted at but never had time to fulfil. Fans who were disappointed by the abandoned movie universe may discover that Disney+ provides exactly the replacement they’ve been waiting for.
Power Rangers' Future Depends On The Disney+ Reboot
The Franchise’s Next Live-Action Era Will Be Defined By Whether The Reboot Thrives Or Fails
For all the excitement surrounding the upcoming Disney+ reboot, it also represents a pivotal moment for Power Rangers as a whole. The franchise is entering a precarious era, with this new series being the only live-action project in development. That places enormous pressure on the reboot to deliver, both creatively and commercially, in ways the 2017 movie couldn’t.
The Disney+ Power Rangers show won’t be continuing past timelines, reusing old casts, or tying into previous seasons. It will be a complete reinvention of the brand. That clean slate is bold, but it also raises the stakes. If the reboot succeeds, it will reshape the future of Power Rangers for years, potentially launching new seasons, movies, merchandise lines, and expanded-universe projects tied to its world.
If it fails, however, the franchise will once again face an identity crisis. Power Rangers has already reinvented itself multiple times across three decades, from Mighty Morphin to Dino Fury, yet the modern entertainment landscape is far more competitive. A misfire could force Hasbro and its partners to rethink how, or even if, the brand continues in live action.
Everything hinges on this reboot. With the right creative vision and Disney’s production strength, it could revive the franchise in a way the 2017 film couldn’t achieve. If it stumbles, Power Rangers must once again search for its next evolution. The future of the rangers depends on what happens next.
Power Rangers
Created by
Haim Saban, Shuki Levy, Shotaro Ishinomori
First Film
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
Latest Film
Power Rangers
First TV Show
Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers
Latest TV Show
Power Rangers Cosmic Fury
First Episode Air Date
August 28, 1993
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Power Rangers
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Power Rangers
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