Naomi Scott To Be In ‘Power Rangers’ Movie
There has been a lot of talk about a new Power Rangers film on the internet, with articles regarding directors, concept art, and even a “renegade” video found its way on to YouTube that garnered a lot of positive response, until it was asked to be removed. Still, there didn’t seem to be much traction regarding this reboot of the Lionsgate TV franchise, until yesterday when it was announced on Twitter and Instagram that the film found someone to play the Pink Ranger, and that person is Naomi Scott.
Variety reports that in addition to Naomi Scott being cast to play the Pink Ranger, the film will be directed by Dean Israelite, with the writing duties going to Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz. Haim Saban, Brian Casentini and Allison Shearer will be producing the movie.
The TV series originally started off as an imported Japanese Tokusatsu TV science fiction show (tokusatsu which translates to “special filming” in Japanese) was imported to the US and combined much of the giant robot vs monster footage from Japan with new American footage featuring the rangers, initially only in their civilian identities, and then later in the ranger fighting gear as well. It started off simply as Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, but when Saban had pretty much exhausted all of the original footage that could be used (from Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger) it was decided to then start using the robot/monster footage from later shows, including Gosei Sentai Dairanger and then Ninja Sentai Kakuranger, all under the American name of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Eventually, as with each Japanese series being given its own name and storyline, it became the same with all of the American properties, except to sometimes bring past cast members back in a recurring role to build a sense of continuity with all of the shows. As for this movie, it will reimagine the origins of each of the Power Rangers. They are made up of a group of high school students, each with special talents on their own, only to be given extraordinary powers from an extraterrestrial source so that they can come together and save the world.
Due to the enormous popularity of the 1993 Fox Kids TV series, a movie adaptation was brought to the big screen in the form of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie in 1995.
Last year it was announced that Lionsgate would join up with Saban to produce a live-action movie based on the series with plans of creating a film franchise.
Scott appeared on The Martian and the TV movie Lemonade Mouth.
Power Rangers hits theaters on Jan. 13, 2017.
