Looks like it will never NOT be Morphin Time! With Lionsgate currently filming the first of what they hope becomes a string of hit live-action ‘Power Rangers’ movies, nostalgia for the long-running kids show might be reaching a fever pitch.
Now, a dream team of ex-Rangers, friends and foes are assembling for a reunion of sorts, but don’t expect spandex and rubber monsters.
‘The Order’ is the brainchild of Karan Ashley, who played Aisha Campbell, the second Yellow Ranger. With David Fielding, who played Zordon, she has penned a script which Ashley, who is also producing the film, says was partly inspired by ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ and ‘Fast & Furious’ franchises and last year’s “Dark Power Rangers” video that went viral. ‘Power/Rangers’, directed by Joseph Kahn stunned with its incredible production quality but disturbed some with its graphic sex, drug use and extreme violence.
The movie that Ashley and Fielding cooked up is called ‘The Order’ and this is the film’s description:
The Order is an action packed movie that follows a covert group of vigilantes. This group is often times the shadow to groups like the FBI and CIA.
The men and women of The Order, are trained, living weapons. They operate in secret. They have dedicated their lives to eliminating violent threats and imminent disasters. Their one focus is to fight to keep humanity safe from complete societal breakdown and maintain world order.
The Order has faced the worst of enemies, but are crippled by the discovery that this world assault they now face, is being lead by some of their very own.
Throw everything you thought you knew out the the window, you won’t know the good guys from the bad.
Ashley, like many past Rangers, is a regular on the convention circuit, and even hosts a web series ‘Uncensored Talk’ which gives a behind-the-scenes look at life on the road and has featured guest appearances by many PR alumni.
Ashley joined the show as Aisha/Yellow Ranger alongside Johnny Yong Bosch/Black Ranger as Adam and Steve Cardenas as Rocky/Red Ranger, replacing Thuy Trang (Trini), Walter Emanuel Jones (Zack) and Austin St. John (Jason) who exited the show after the second season.
If this doesn’t get you excited, nothing will: Bosch, Cardenas, Jones and St. John are among the cast of ‘The Order’ along with David Yost, who played Billy the Blue Ranger opposite both casts and Paul Shrier who played bully Bulk. Also included is Catherine Surtherland, a.k.a. Kat the second Pink Ranger, who replaced Amy Jo Johnson and Nakia Burrise a.k.a. Tanya, who replaced Ashley, herself!
Expect some fun interactions, even though ‘The Order’ has nothing to do with the ‘Power Rangers’.
Said Ashley:
“When we were writing, it was always a thought. How cool would it be if Johnny Bosch was fighting Walter Jones? I don’t want to say it’s reminiscent because obviously [it has] martial arts and team camaraderie. [But] this isn’t Power Rangers. There are a lot of coincidences, we play up some of them, but we wanted something fresh. I want The Order to be a new thing. We know when people see us, they think superheroes. So I thought, “Why do we all have to be on the same team?” I split people up, so you don’t know who’s good and bad.
In the extended trailer, it even appears that Ashley takes on her replacement Burrise!
But it isn’t just these early Rangers who will come together in ‘The Order’. Ashley, inspired by fans who kept asking for some sort of reunion, wanted to cast the movie entirely with former PR actors.
The cast consists of:
- Alyson Kiperman-Sullivan (Lieutenant Taylor Earhardt/Yellow Ranger ‘Power Rangers Wild Force’, 2002)
- Azim Rizk (Jake/Black Ranger/Green Ranger ‘Power Rangers Mega Force’, 2013)
- Blake Foster (Justin/Blue Ranger, ‘Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie’, ‘Power Rangers: Turbo’, ‘Power Rangers In Space’, 1997-1998)
- Daniel Southworth (Eric/Quantum Ranger, ‘Power Rangers: Time Force’, 2001)
- Deborah Estelle Philips (Katie/Yellow Ranger, ‘Power Rangers: Time Force’, 2001)
- Erin Cahill (Jen/Pink Ranger, ‘Power Rangers: Time Force’, 2001)
- Hilary Shepard (Divatox, ‘Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie’, ‘Power Rangers: Turbo’, 1997)
- Jason Faunt (Wes/Red Ranger, ‘Power Rangers: Time Force’, 2001)
Fielding is expected to appear onscreen as well.
The cast and crew filmed a trailer, but Ashley says that when production officially begins– hopefully this fall– everything will be reshot. There is a current Indiegogo campaign to help raise funding for the movie. For pledges of certain amounts, fans will be rewarded with different prizes, even the opportunity to hang out with the cast, work on the film or even appear in it!
‘The Order’ already has a completed script, director David Wald (stuntman and fight coordinator on ‘Supergirl’ and ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’), professional crew, “experienced production team,” and of course an all-star cast (with the hint that more roles could be added). The Indiegogo campaign seeks to raise $250,000 as part of the $1 million total budget.
You can watch a teaser here:
To view the extended trailer, or to help make ‘The Order’ happen visit their Indiegogo page.
Ashley assures that even if the fundraising goal isn’t reached, ‘The Order’ will still get made, but contributions could help ensure a top notch product.
Are you excited to see these classic Power Rangers back in a different type of action?
Source: Inverse
