For over three decades, the Power Rangers franchise has captivated audiences, yet surprisingly, it has only produced three feature films. This is particularly intriguing given the multitude of television series associated with the franchise, which has seen considerable success. Many fans and industry analysts argue that the vast narrative landscape of the Power Rangers universe has been underrepresented on the big screen. However, there are plausible reasons for this limited cinematic output, primarily rooted in the franchise’s long-standing focus on television storytelling.
Since the debut of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in 1993, the franchise has expanded into various media forms, including comic books and video games. This diverse media outset, however, operates across multiple continuities, resulting in a multiverse rather than a singular narrative thread. Despite these variations, the enduring popularity and longevity of the television series raise questions about the franchise’s sparse filmography.
Power Rangers’ First Movie Released at Peak Popularity
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995)
The franchise’s first film, released in 1995, marked a pivotal moment. It capitalized on the heightened popularity the series had attained since its inception, featuring a production budget of approximately $15 million. Although Box Office Mojo indicates that it grossed nearly $40 million, the financial returns were modest relative to industry standards, leading to only a minor profit for the studio.
Spanning an impressive 145 episodes over three seasons, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series was followed by a new season, Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers, in 1996. Although the film was not the blockbuster Fox had anticipated, it has since become a nostalgic treasure for fans of the 90s who engaged with both the show and its corresponding film. Even though the movie did not achieve critical acclaim—reflected by its mixed reviews—its VHS and DVD sales contributed to its enduring legacy. Notably, this film operates independently from the show’s continuity, with later seasons retconning certain elements presented in the movie.
The Second Power Rangers Movie Offered a Smaller Scale
Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie (1997)
Watch Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie
Following the 1995 success, new television seasons continued to unfold, leading to the release of Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie in 1997. This sequel was born from a different strategy, employing a smaller budget and a less ambitious marketing approach, resulting in it feeling more like a television film than a cinematic blockbuster. Although it raked in over $8 million globally, its production approach reflected a shift in target audience engagement.
Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie essentially served as a feature-length pilot for the subsequent TV series, Power Rangers Turbo, which premiered shortly after the film’s release. Unlike its predecessor, this film was significant in establishing continuity within the lore of the franchise.
Power Rangers (2017): A Reboot That Never Spawned Sequel
The 2017 Power Rangers Reboot and Its Ambitions
After a significant hiatus, the franchise returned to the big screen in 2017 with Power Rangers, a bold attempt at rebooting the original series narrative. With a production budget nearing $100 million, this film was ambitious and reintroduced characters from the original series, albeit with a fresh cast.
Despite its hefty budget and the goal of launching a new cinematic franchise, Power Rangers grossed only $142 million globally, rendering it a financial disappointment and effectively shelving any plans for a sequel. The film was envisioned as a pathway to reinvigorate the franchise’s presence in cinemas and tap into its nostalgia, yet it fell short of expectations. Fortunately, the television iterations remained alive and well during this time, maintaining the franchise’s cultural footprint.
The Future of Power Rangers: Television’s Dominance
A Bright Future Predominantly on TV
Despite three varied attempts to secure a strong presence in theaters, the Power Rangers franchise remains primarily a television entity. Each cinematic endeavor has illustrated this reality—the first movie was later retconned, the second was designed as a TV pilot, and the third’s failure to garner a sequel demonstrated the risks associated with straying from its television foundation. The franchise has consistently excelled in this format, which has allowed it to endure far longer than many of its contemporaries.
While there is potential for new Power Rangers shows or films in the future, no new projects have been officially announced at this time. Fans speculate about the direction the franchise may take next, pondering whether another reboot is on the horizon, but as it stands, the franchise’s legacy continues to thrive primarily on television screens.
Source: Box Office Mojo
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