I am currently underway at writing a "dark" version of Power Rangers as a screenplay. I have made quite a few changes to try and avoid the "cheesy"-ness. The script is an origin story, originally going to be the evil Green Ranger but my friend convinced me to save that for the sequel (ala The Dark Knight).
So here are some things I've changed. I have gotten rid of Finster, Squatt & Baboo, it's only Rita and Goldar. I've changed Alpha 5 from an annoying robot to the voice of the computer in the Command Center. Zordon is no longer a floating head but a projection of his entire body.
But I'm kind of stuck and was looking for suggestions. First off I don't really know what the story is going to be, I was thinking of using the Island of Illusion storyline since the characters are starting off in a broken friendship and the ability of being Power Rangers will renew their friendship, so I'm wondering about the Island of Illusion being used. I know it takes place after the Green Ranger came into the picture, but I think bending the rules is okay.
Secondly, I don't know what to do with the Putty Patrol. Rita has to have some kind of minions, but I think the Putty Patrol is kind of cheesy. Any suggestions on this?
And then I do plan and very much look forward to writing the sequel, since the evil Green Ranger was always my favorite saga on the series. I do have to ask for suggestions on this. Should Lord Zedd be involved? I know Zedd wasn't there for the evil Green Ranger but it seems to me in a sequel a new villain should be brought into the picture. I have mentioned him by name already in the screenplay but I'm not sure if he should be around in the sequel.
I will post the script when I'm done if anyone is interested. Thanks for any suggestions.
I am currently underway at writing a "dark" version of Power Rangers as a screenplay.
Is this a tongue in cheek kind of darkness or has the tongue been cat-gotten? Because this is a terrible idea. Granted, we've had even more terrible iterations of this in the past, but this is still a terrible idea.
Last edited by GreenNinja; 11-24-2009 at 09:23 PM.
1. Search
2. Fanfic Forum
3. The word you're looking for is "reboot". "Origins" work. Just not "ala Batman Begins"
4. I'm sure it's never been written before.
5. I'm not going to close this.
Rita's escaped. Zordon recruits five teenagers with attitude. At first they don't want to be heroes, but then when Goldar attacks they change their minds and set up to the challenge. They go on a quest, have some character development, and become the Power Rangers. They fight Goldar, he grows big, they pull out their zords. We have an extended fight scene, and finally they beat him.
Ms. Rita Wilson has attained her status as CEO of Repulsacorp by secretly having her husband, the original CEO, murdered. With her newfound power, she employs the super-soldier program to create cybernetic operatives that will assassinate whoever she chooses in her quest for world domination.
Meanwhile, her colleague Freddy Zordon realizes what she's doing and steals away with her most important plans, thereby initiating the Ranger Project in order to stop her. With the help of his sentient computer program, Alpha V, he selects five people with the perfect physical conditions to undergo the project.
Billy's genius lands him in so much trouble with the bullies of his school that he turns to drugs to smoke away his virginal pain. Which leaves him even less aware of the fact that Jason is his half-brother, on account of their having the same father, who impregnated half of Angel Grove when he was their age.
Jason used to be a good man, but the knowledge of being lied to all his life has driven him to madness. He can't keep his hands off his female karate students. Which is a problem because one of them happens to be Zack's girlfriend, Angela.
Zack still has the bullet lodged between his ribs from when he was shot at age 11 and miraculously survived after trying to steal from the Juice Bar late at night. His continued criminal activity adds comic relief as he is almost always caught in the act by Lt. Stone.
As Zack tries to kill Jason for banging his girlfriend after the blackbelt tests, Trini and Kimberly's relationship grows closer while attending a college party. When they awake the next morning, Trini has no idea what happened, and Kimberly is far too ashamed to tell her the story.
That's when the first super-soldier shows up, and they narrowly escape its wrath as it decapitates its first target- the boy that was videotaping them last night (who happens to be the son of a US senator).
Dr. Zordon sends Alpha through the internet to clean out Zack's record and break him out of jail, while he sends Billy an e-mail offering him a fascinating scientific discovery if he will gather up the other Rangers long enough for Zordon to talk to them.
The offer is simple. Join Zordon's program and learn to work as a team to stop Repulsacorp's advances against the world governments. And if they say no, Alpha will hack into the FBI Most Wanted lists and insert all five of their names onto it so that they will never see the light of day for the rest of their lives.
...
The offer is simple. Join Zordon's program and learn to work as a team to stop Repulsacorp's advances against the world governments. And if they say no, Alpha will hack into the FBI Most Wanted lists and insert all five of their names onto it so that they will never see the light of day for the rest of their lives.
It's Morphin Time.
You should try to sell it as an actual pitch. Seriously.
On the other hand, I'm surprised Disney isn't trying to reinvent the franchise as a Transformers-style movie franchise. Less emphasis on the spandex and more focus on the MegaZords' battle with the monsters.
What the hell? The spandex is woven into the plastic-like fabric of PR. It is the fabric of PR. Without those color-coded iconic suits, the show wouldn't be so memorable.
Less emphasis on the spandex and more focus on the MegaZords' battle with the monsters.
See, Transformers works because Optimus and company are characters. They can talk, have emotion, and further the story by beating each other up. Megazord is a car that the Rangers drive. It's a metaphor for the team acting in unison. It's hard to pull off the TV formula of "Fight the mooks, then the monster, then the giant monster with your robot" in a film. Not impossible mind you, but harder. You can have each character get a special plot focus in a TV series one episode at a time. The film requires you to juggle plot for all of them, and PR makes it so that you have to do so at the same time.
How about using the costumes of Gorangers instead of Zyurangers for the new movie? Have the 5 future Power Rangers be secret agents who worked for the FBI to protect our nation from terrorists before Zordon picked them to be the first 5 Power Rangers.