Disney's Power Rangers Reboot Can't Make Up For A Scrapped 4-Movie Plan
By Published Apr 11, 2026, 2:22 PM EDT Tom is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, with expertise covering everything from hilarious sitcoms to jaw-dropping sci-fi epics.
Initially he was an Updates writer, though before long he found his way to the TV and movies 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.
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The franchise is entering one of the most transformative periods in its 30-plus-year history, and the hype is incredibly real. After decades of retooling the same core premise within a shared continuity, Disney and Hasbro are developing a full reboot for Disney+ that will completely rebuild the Rangers from the ground up.
This is an exciting prospect, especially given the absence of live-action entries . However, the announcement is a bittersweet one. This isn’t the first time the IP is getting a total reinvention, and many still haven’t forgotten the failed promises of a cinematic universe teased the last time it happened.
Long before Disney and Hasbro’s current attempt, Lionsgate’s 2017 nearly a decade ago, setting up a new continuity with blockbuster ambitions. While the upcoming Disney+ Power Rangers reboot is a bold venture that could start a new era for the Rangers, it isn’t the franchise’s first attempt at a clean slate.
Disney's Upcoming Power Rangers Reboot Is Exciting, But It's Sad We Didn't Get The Planned 4-Movie Franchise
The Scrapped Sequel Plans Still Cast A Long Shadow Over The Franchise
The upcoming , but it’s also a reminder of what could have been. The 2017 Power Rangers film wasn’t just a standalone story, it was designed as the foundation for a sprawling multi-movie saga that never materialized.
Directed by Dean Israelite, 2017’s Power Rangers reintroduced the core team of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers with new actors and a more character-driven approach. Jason (Dacre Montgomery), Kimberly (Naomi Scott), Trini (Becky G), Zack (Ludi Lin), and Billy (RJ Cyler) were given deeper backstories, grounding the sci-fi premise that made the Power Rangers show so great with slick modern dramatic sensibilities.
The rebooted for sequels, teasing Tommy Oliver, the iconic Green Ranger, and expanding Rita Repulsa’s (Elizabeth Banks) role within a larger mythology. Behind the scenes, the original plan from Lionsgate was that the 2017 movie would launch a franchise of at least four films, with a structured arc that would gradually introduce new Rangers and villains.
However, despite its ambitious world-building, the 2017 Power Rangers movie underperformed at the box office. Its darker tone and slower pacing divided audiences, while its reliance on a late third-act action payoff left some fans unsatisfied. The result was a cinematic franchise that stalled before it could truly begin.
What makes this is that the groundwork was solid. The 2017 movie may not have wowed critics or won over general audiences, but many who loved the TV show embraced it. The cast had strong chemistry, and the film’s focus on identity and teamwork aligned well with the franchise’s core themes. Given time, the sequels could have refined the formula and delivered the large-scale spectacle the first film only hinted at.
Instead, Lionsgate’s Power Rangers cinematic universe was quietly abandoned, leaving fans with unresolved threads and unrealized potential. The Disney+ reboot may offer a new beginning and a modernization of the classic Power Rangers formula, but it also highlights the missed opportunity of a franchise that never got the chance to evolve on the big screen.
The Disney+ Power Rangers Reboot Is Wiping The Slate Clean
A Full Reset Gives The Franchise A Chance To Learn From Past Mistakes
While the failure of the 2017 Power Rangers film to launch a franchise is disappointing, it provides valuable lessons for the upcoming Disney+ series. For to work, it needs to refine the strengths of the 2010s movie while avoiding the pitfalls that held it back.
For example, one of the Power Rangers 2017’s biggest strengths was its character work. By focusing on the personal struggles of its Rangers, it made the team dynamic feel earned. The Disney+ Power Rangers reboot would hugely benefit from retaining this approach, ensuring that its characters are more than just archetypes in colorful suits.
At the same time, the upcoming Power Rangers reboot must address the film’s pacing issues. The 2017 movie delayed its action sequences for too long, which clashed with . The serialized TV format of Disney and Hasbro’s reinvention offers an easy solution to this setback, as the abundance of screentime compared to a feature-length outing allows for a more balanced mix of character development and action across multiple episodes.
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Another key lesson is tone. Lionsgate’s take on Power Rangers had a darker, more grounded style than the classic show. This proved to be divisive. While modern audiences appreciate maturity, Power Rangers thrives on a sense of fun and spectacle. The new Disney+ reboot has the opportunity to strike a better balance, embracing its sci-fi fantasy roots without losing emotional depth.
The Disney+ reboot also faces a unique challenge: breaking away from the franchise’s long-standing continuity. For over three decades, . A complete reset is unprecedented, meaning the series must establish its own identity while honoring the legacy fans expect.
Ultimately, the Disney+ reboot is more than just another iteration of an established formula, it’s a chance to redefine what Power Rangers can be. By learning from the successes and missteps of the 2017 film, it has the potential to deliver the cohesive, modernized vision that the franchise has been building toward for years.
Cast
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Elizabeth Banks Jason Lee Scott / The Red Ranger -
Billy Cranston / The Blue Ranger
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