Power Rangers has had quite the journey over the past 31 years, and it’s only getting wilder as time goes on. Case in point, the latest report stating that a new Power Rangers series is in development for Disney+ from the minds of Percy Jackson and the Olympians showrunners Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz. While every part of that sentence is major news, it is interesting that if this all pans out, Power Rangers and Disney will be on their second go-round, though both sides are in (somewhat) different places. That’s why I want to examine what went wrong the first time and why this newest opportunity might just work out pretty well for both parties.
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The First Time Around
Power Rangers was part of Saban Entertainment from its inception in 1993, but then in 2001, it became part of the Disney umbrella, officially entering the franchise’s Disney Era. Disney owned the franchise until 2010, and during that time fans got Power Rangers Ninja Storm (2003), Power Rangers Dino Thunder (2004), Power Rangers S.P.D. (2005), Power Rangers Mystic Force (2006), Power Rangers Operation Overdrive (2007), Power Rangers Jungle Fury (2008), and Power Rangers RPM (2009).
Looking at the releases as a whole, you can’t argue that Disney had some successful outings, as Dino Thunder, S.P.D., and RPM are all well-liked by fans and have spawned fan-favorite characters and concepts, and seasons like Mystic Force and Ninja Storm have passionate fans as well (including me on the former).
What Went Right and What Went Wrong
Disney made some welcome changes to the franchise, including a push for more original footage. This tends to cause some debate amongst long-time fans, but I’ve always preferred the use of more original footage as opposed to the majority being Sentai. Disney also gave a production boost to the show, with both the effects and the general writing on the series improving quite a bit.
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Those are all wins, so in theory, Power Rangers should have been a perfect property for Disney to expand and grow. While elements of the series certainly flourished under Disney, the era was also hampered by Disney’s ever-changing approach to children’s and teenage programming. During its time with Disney, Power Rangers went from being a part of the 4Kids lineup to being a part of ABC Family to then being part of Jetix, so while these are only factors, the constant changing of Disney’s approach to programming and distribution was a hurdle the show had to consistently overcome.
It’s also worth noting that there seemed to be a debate internally regarding Power Rangers. Disney acquired Power Rangers through their bigger deal to acquire Fox Family, so while they did utilize the franchise, it wasn’t something they sought out, and the show’s level of violence is something that came up during its tenure ere and how it worked with Disney’s image and brand.
That’s why it felt like there were starts and stops regarding marketing and promotion throughout its time there, and it didn’t help that Disney actively looked to get out of producing more seasons at several points. That time would finally wrap when Haim Saban re-purchased the franchise, kicking off what we now know as the Neo-Saban Era.
Why This Might Work
So, if it didn’t go so great the first time, why will it work now? To start, Disney is in a very different place regarding its content strategy and approach to its brand. Disney has returned to a prosperous position under Bob Iger’s second term as CEO, and part of that formula has been bringing back iconic properties and established franchises.
Enter Power Rangers, which is at a bit of a crossroads as a brand and franchise. Hasbro and Netflix’s partnership has been completed with Cosmic Fury and the Once & Always 30th Anniversary Special, and the TV reboot was eventually canceled. Since then Hasbro has licensed the toys to Playmates Toys and is now reportedly working with Disney on a TV series, so this could be a perfect marriage.
Disney is always looking for content for Disney+ as it continues to expand its audience and push subscriber growth, so a Power Rangers series would have an immediate and at this point rather stable home. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is set to deliver a heavily anticipated second season on the service and is already green-lit for a third, so Steinberg and Shotz already have substantial experience not only working in this format with Disney, but also in being able to bring a beloved world and set of characters to a new generation of fans that also feels authentic to those who have been there since the beginning.
Disney+ would also be a perfect home for the series, as in addition to Percy Jackson, Power Rangers would fit right alongside the service’s extensive Marvel, Star Wars, and animation catalog. The biggest factor in all this though is that Disney is a partner in this deal, signaling they have some sort of vision for where it fits in their plans and overall catalog. Last time around they simply inherited and didn’t want to just let it die on the vine, but this time it seems they are actively engaged, so perhaps we have a few reasons to be cautiously optimistic.
What do you think of this latest chapter in Power Rangers history, and where do you fall on a return to Disney? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things Power Rangers with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!
