The mega live-action superhero franchisePower Rangersdebuted in 1993 withMighty Morphin Power Rangers. The action-packed series quickly skyrocketed in popularity, becoming a pop culture phenomenon of the 90s into the early 2000s. The success ofMighty Morphin Power Rangersspawned 3 feature films and 30 seasons of the popular franchise, which is still on the air today. Although each season displays different iterations of the Rangers teams, the core and guiding principles — initially outlined inMighty Morphin— for each superhero team remains the same. Given the success and legacy of the entry season,Mighty Morphin Power Rangersjoins the list of rebooted classics and will be returning to screens this year in a reunion special, according toan announcement fromNetflixon Tuesday.
Netflix took to Twitter to announce the reunion special titledMighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always. The scripted, stand-alone 30th anniversary special premieres April 19 and plans to reunite some of the franchise’s most beloved Rangers, including original stars David Yost as Billy/Blue Ranger, Walter E. Jones as Zack/Black Ranger, and Barbara Goodson, the voice of Rita Repulsa. Additional confirmed cast includes Catherine Sutherland as the secondMighty MorphinPink Ranger Kat, Steve Cardenas as the secondMighty MorphinRed Ranger Rocky, Karan Ashley as the secondMighty MorphinYellow Ranger Aisha, Johnny Yong Bosh as the secondMighty MorphinBlack Ranger Adam, Richard Horvitz as Alpha 5, and Charlie Kersh as Minh, the daughter of the original Yellow Ranger Trini.
David Yostis best known for his role as Billy Cranston, one of the first “teenagers with attitude” selected to become a Ranger. He portrayed the Blue Power Ranger in theMighty Morphinseries and easily became one of the franchise’s fan favorites. Billy was the only original Ranger to last throughout the entire MMPR series and the second-longest serving Power Ranger in the franchise. Yost took to Twitter to express his excitement to return to the franchise as Billy.
Plot details are still underway, however, the team behind the upcoming reuniondescribed the special toEW.
“The Rangers come face to face with a familiar threat from the past. In the midst of a global crisis, they are called on once again to be the heroes the world needs. Inspired by the legendary mantra from the franchise ‘Once a Ranger, Always a Ranger,’ Once & Always reminds everyone when you become a Ranger, you are always a part of the Ranger family and always welcome.”
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The Family of Rangers Reunite in a Netflix Teaser for 30th Anniversary Special
Power Rangers is a long-running superhero fantasy saga that continues to capture the hearts of audiences 30 years after its entry season,Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The live-action series is based on the Japanese tokusatsu franchise Super Sentai and will continue its American adaptation inthe upcoming 30th season titledPower Rangers Cosmic Fury. Although plot details are still forthcoming for the reunion, Netflix released a behind-the-scenes look into the making of the upcoming 30th anniversary specialMighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Alwayson Tuesday.
The two-minute video is imbued with nostalgia, reminding audiences of the beloved Power Rangers stars that will soon grace the screen once more in the upcoming special. However, it was also a bittersweet reminder of previous cast members who are unable to participate in the reunion. Most notable absences from the reunion will be Thuy Trang — who starred as the original Yellow Ranger Trini Kwan — and Jason David Frank — who starred as original Green Ranger Tommy Oliver — due to both actors’untimely deaths. Every cast member expressed excitement in returning to reprise their roles for longtime supporters. According to David Yost, the special still embodies many of the staple Power Ranger elements, while presenting a different take from the classic MMPR series.
Check out the heartfelt reunion and the first exclusive look intoMighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Alwaysbelow.
