New Power Rangers Film Casts Elizabeth Banks as Rita Repulsa

The official Instagram account of the new Power Rangers film announced on Tuesday that it has cast Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games' Effie Trinket) as Rita Repulsa.

The project previously cast Naomi Scott as the Pink Ranger, Ludi Lin as the Black Ranger, Dacre Montgomery as the Red Ranger, R.J. Cyler as the Blue Ranger, and Becky Gomez as the Yellow Ranger.

The film is slated for March 24, 2017, after it was pushed back twice from July 2016 and January 2017.

Dean Israelite (Project Almanac) is on board to direct the film. Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz are penning the Power Rangers script. The two writers previously wrote the X-Men: First Class and Thor films. Saban Brands' Brian Casentini and Lionsgate's Allison Shearmur are producing the film.

Actor and MMA fighter Jason David Frank, who starred in the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers television series as Tommy Oliver (Green & White Ranger), said he plans to appear in the film in "cameos at least."


The Power Rangers franchise previously inspired two live-action films from 20th Century Fox: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie opened in theaters in 1995 and Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie opened in theaters in 1997. With a 2017 movie release it would mark a 20th Anniversary since their last live-action film.

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