Nowadays, every studio is rushing to get their hands on some sort of mega-franchise that can compete with the likes of Marvel and Star Wars. Under the guise of snatching up as many existing IPOs as possible and spinning them into tentpoles and shared universes, we’ve seen TV shows, video games, manga, and toys all brought to life on screen. One hot property that’s been doing well on TV and toy shelves for over twenty years is Power Rangers. And in just a few weeks, Lionsgate and Saban are hoping it will be their next big money-maker.
The international Power Rangers trailer offers a better idea of the plot of the movie and what its action will entail. Following a few of the beats from the original series, the film is updating the Rangers’ suits, Zords, powers, companions, and villains in an effort to give the film a more alien look and open up the doors for future movies and spinoffs. We’ve already seen a number of TV spots from the upcoming film, including one of the Rangers becoming heroes. Rita Repulsa, the movie’s main villain, has also been highlighted in a Power Rangers TV trailer. Now, we’ve got our introduction to one of the Rangers’ allies.
In a new clip from Lionsgate (which you can watch up top), the Rangers come across a mysterious structure deep underground. Upon entering, the whole place buzzes to life before they’re ambushed by a horrifying alien. In reality, it’s the friendly Alpha 5 (Bill Hader), but our heroes don’t know that quite yet. The clip further showcases how different this Alpha will be from the one on TV, as he looks to have hyper-extendable limbs. On top of the clip, AMC Theaters have just released a new poster for the movie to announce that tickets are now on sale for the film. Check it out below:
For fans of Alpha 5, you’ll not only get to see the comedic character brought to life on screen in a few weeks, but you can now have a chat with the little robot. The chat bot experience will work through Facebook Messenger, Twitter, and Kik, and will give fans a taste of what it’s like for the Rangers to interact with the little guy. And speaking of robots, a new toy featuring the Megazord has provided us our best look yet at how the Rangers’ Zords come together to form the colossal warrior.
In other fun Power Rangers-related news, original Pink Ranger Amy Jo Johnson surprised the cast of the new movie with an interview recently. There’s word yet on whether any original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers TV show cast members make secret cameos in the film reboot, but many fans are hoping to see one or more of them pop up in some capacity. Shows like The Flash and Supergirl have taken great strides to pay homage to those who have played the eponymous superhero roles in the past, so it’d be fun to see Power Rangers follow suit. We’ll know either way in just a couple of weeks.
