In 2015, an unofficialPower Rangersshort film appeared on YouTube and it instantly took the world by storm. In a day, the 14-minute video managed to garner almost six million views, with several OG fans commending the work for its darker take on the traditionally kid-friendly franchise. After it became clear thatPower Rangerscould indeed be made for adults, Lionsgate and Saban produced a gritty, live-action version in 2017 based on the original team of teenage heroes. Unfortunately, the movie was not the smash success that they had hoped it would be, and after the hype died down, it seemed that no studio would ever take a chance on a mature adaptation again.
Today, however, is a different day. Thanks to devoted fans, the dream is still alive. A newPower Rangers-inspired film calledLegend of the White Dragonis now in the works after a 2019 Kickstarter campaign reached its goal of $500,000 to produce it. Aaron Schoenke and Sean Schoenke,the brothers who own Bat in the Sun Productions, are spearheading the project, and a few fan-favoritePower Rangersalumni are also confirmed to be on-board.
RELATED:Power Rangers Reboot May Bring Back Past Versions Of The Team
Most notably, Jason David Frank, the original White Power Ranger, will star as the lead, taking on the titular role of the White Dragon. Set to join him is his formerMighty Morphin' Power Rangersco-star Johnny Yong Bosch, as well as Jason Faunt ofPower Rangers Time Forceand Ciara Hanna ofPower Rangers Megaforce.While little is known about their characters, they will form some sort of team resembling thePower Rangers, with morphing devices, armor, and all.
According to the project’s official website, the story will follow David Frank’s White Dragon, who has gone into hiding after a terrible event called “The Aftermath.” His city, Angel Graves (which is based on the original Ranger hometown,Angel Grove) was destroyed after he and his allies failed to protect it. When his daughter gets kidnapped by evil forces, the fallen hero is forced to come out of the shadows and reunite with his team in order to save her from a merciless villain named Dragon Prime.
BecauseLegend of the White Dragonis an independent production, it’s hard to say whether or not it will tie into the officialPower Rangersuniverse. Hasbro, which owns the rights to the franchise, recently announced it will beexpanding the Ranger world, starting with a revival of the very first iteration of the team, theMighty Morphin' Power Rangers. The company has already appointedEnd of the F***ing World’s Jonathan Entwistle to oversee the expansion; though recent reports say it will still be some time before the project sees any traction. For now, fans can satisfy their Ranger cravings with the upcoming Schoenke film, as we wait and see what Hasbro has in store for the franchise.
Legend of the White Dragonis now in development at Bat in the Sun Productions.
