We've known since May that a new Power Rangers movie is now in development, and while it was initially rumored that it would be Max Landis writing the screenplay for the project, only today do we know who will actually be holding the pen. News has come down that Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz, best known as the writers behind X-Men: First Class and the first Thor, have been hired to bring the mighty morphin team to the big screen.
The news comes from The Hollywood Reporter, which also adds that Roberto Orci has come aboard the new incarnation of Power Rangers as an executive producer. The Star Trek Into Darkness co-writer will also be helping Miller and Stentz crack the story for the movie - though it appears that Orci's job in the writing department ends there. The film is being developed by Lionsgate in partnership with Saban Brands, the company that continues to own the rights to the brand. Miller and Stentz both previously worked with Orci writing for the television series Fringe.
First premiering in 1993, the original Power Rangers followed a group of five teenagers who are given special abilities to help defeat the powers of evil that wish to destroy the Earth with giant monsters. With the help of Zordon, the groups mentor and leader, the teens are able to "morph" into costumed warriors and pilot giant robots called Zords (that can eventually combine together to form the Megazord). There have already been two Power Rangers movies released, with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie having been released in 1995 and Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie coming out in 1997. Over the years since the original there have also been many, many different versions and incarnations that have developed from the original show, from Power Rangers Zeo in 1996 to Power Rangers Megaforce in 2013.
From a studio perspective, hiring guys like Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz and Roberto Orci makes a lot of sense given their extensive resumes filled with blockbuster titles. Unfortunately, they are all responsible for their own fair share of duds as well, including Agent Cody Banks (written by Miller and Stentz) and Cowboys & Aliens (which Orci co-wrote). Orci's long-time producing and writing partner Alex Kurtzman will not be joining him on Power Rangers, as the two decided to part ways in features back in April.
This new rebooted version of Power Rangers will reportedly "completely re-envision" the characters, but exactly how far that will go is still a mystery. As someone who grew up watching the original series as a kid, I'm hoping they don't stray too far away from the source material, as I wouldn't mind the movie providing a good punch in the nostalgia (which I imagine is a big part of doing the reboot anyway). It looks like development on this movie is coming right along, so stay tuned for more news in the coming months!
