Exciting news for fans of the iconic franchise: Power Rangers is reportedly gearing up for a live-action series on Disney+. According to The Wrap, the creative minds behind the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz, are in discussions to write, showrun, and produce this new iteration of Power Rangers in collaboration with Disney+ and 20th Century TV.
Hasbro, the current owner of Power Rangers, is aiming to revitalize the franchise for a new generation while maintaining its appeal to long-time fans. This move reflects Hasbro's vision for the brand, which they acquired from Saban Properties in 2018 for $522 million. At the time of the acquisition, Hasbro's chairman and CEO, Brian Goldner, expressed enthusiasm about the "tremendous upside potential" of Power Rangers, highlighting opportunities across toys, games, consumer products, digital gaming, entertainment, and global retail.
The beloved '90s series, The Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, captured the hearts of children around the world with its teenage superheroes and their impressive mechs, which could combine to form a giant robot. The franchise's enduring popularity underscores Hasbro's confidence in its potential for reinvention and expansion.
The acquisition by Hasbro followed the unsuccessful 2017 movie reboot, which attempted a darker, grittier approach to the franchise. Despite hopes for a series of sequels, the film's poor box office performance led to the cancellation of those plans and Saban's subsequent sale of the rights to Hasbro.
Hasbro's ambitions extend beyond Power Rangers. The company is also working on other high-profile projects, including a live-action Dungeons & Dragons series titled The Forgotten Realms and an animated Magic: The Gathering series, both in development at Netflix. Additionally, Hasbro is exploring a cinematic universe for Magic: The Gathering, signaling a broad strategy to leverage its intellectual properties across various media platforms.
