'Power Rangers' 2017 Movie First Look: Elizabeth Banks' Rita Repulsa Reboot Trip To '90s!
It's been almost 25 years since the first time the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers combined to form the Megazord, and next year, new generations are getting a sip of what 20-somethings grew up with in the 1990s; there's a reboot coming up! Currently filming with all-new faces, there's one lady in the cast who's known for her comedic timing! Here's the first look of Elizabeth Banks as Rita Repulsa!
Production for the Power Rangers reboot is well underway now. The cast has been public for a while. This though is the first time we get a glimpse to how they're supposed to look. Considering Banks is the only well-known actress in the cast, it's hardly a surprise the studio would start off with her.
Rita Repulsa's look was unveiled through People Magazine last Tuesday, along with a short interview with the Hunger Games actress, who revealed she's never played a villain, but is definitely looking forward to both "world domination and being unpredictable as a character."
The character looks little like the original 90s version of Rita Repulsa. But then again, the audience has also changed in the two decades since the show first aired. In all, she does look considerably more menacing than the original one.
"It's definitely a modern and edgy re-imagining of the original Rita Repulsa," Banks agreed. "We wanted to give her a backstory that connects her to the new Rangers."
According to The Mirror, however, Power Rangers fans are less than thrilled about Banks' look as the iconic villainess, understandably because of how different it is from the original. Many point out that rebooting a beloved franchise to completely changing up its characters is a strange move, since it's not exactly toying with nostalgia.
Aside from Banks, the Power Rangers cast also includes Naomi Scott as the Pink Ranger, Becky G as the Yellow Ranger, RJ Cyler as the Blue Ranger, Dacre Montgomery as the Red Ranger and Ludi Lin as the Black Ranger.
The film will hit theaters on March 24, 2017.