The Power Rangers are finally coming back to the big screen with the first Power Rangers motion picture since 1995's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie. The new reboot, simply titled Power Rangers, features a brand new cast of superpowered youngsters working with Zordon and protecting the Earth from evil, supernatural threats. The new, highly anticipated piece of '90s nostalgia is gearing up to hit theaters, but there's so much buzz around the film, fans are already wondering about a follow-up. Could a Power Rangers sequel happen?
The odds of a Power Rangers sequel are extremely good. Or, at least, they were almost one year ago when, in May of 2016, Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer said in a conference call, via Variety, that he could see the studio "doing five or six or seven" movies. Of course, Feltheimer's prediction for a massive Power Rangers movie franchise was all based on fan enthusiasm — something that doesn't always translate into the big box office numbers necessary for a studio to greenlight a sequel. Should Power Rangers do well at the box office, it seems Lionsgate would be more than happy to continue the franchise with a sequel. However, if the movie fails to make an impression commercially, my guess is that Power Rangers is all fans are going to get.
Even though a Power Rangers sequel isn't yet set in stone, the film was very much made with a sequel very much in mind. Early reports of a mid-credits scene tease more narratives to come (I won't spoil it here), and there are certainly plenty more stories to tell. When asked about the possibility of returning for a sequel, Elizabeth Banks, who plays the villainous Rita Repulsa in the film, made no promises, but she did admit she'd be up to rock Rita's green wardrobe again. "I'm down for whatever, but... I don't predict the future," Banks said in an interview with ScreenRant.
Should Power Rangers not get a sequel in the movie theaters, fans will still get a sequel in a different medium. There is already a sequel graphic novel in the works, titled Power Rangers: Aftershock, written by Ryan Parrott with drawings by Luca Werneck. The book will take place directly following the events in the film, and is set for release on March 29, just a few days after the film hits theaters March 24.
If you want to see a Power Rangers sequel in your future, then mark the date and go to the movies. Our childhood won't reboot itself.
