Lionsgate had high hopes for ‘Saban’s Power Rangers’, which they planned as the kick off to a five film series. Despite the fact that the kids who watched the original ‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’ were now in their 20s and 30s, and nostalgia was running high, the film simply didn’t connect, making just $142.3M worldwide on a budget of $100M and garnering only tepid reactions from both critics and fans. The film included a stinger which teased the introduction of Tommy the uber-popular Green Ranger in the sequel. Now it appears that fans may be waiting a long time… like forever, before that happens.
The likelihood of a sequel was already questionable due to the lackluster ticket sales, but now comes a more bizarre obstacle– PR-owner Haim Saban has lost the trademark for the logo from the film. The logo was meant to be used for subsequent movies, presumably in some modified variation, but it is now listed as “ABANDONED – FAILURE TO RESPOND OR LATE RESPONSE.” Presumably, they could concoct a new logo, if necessary. But if Saban actually just flat-out let the trademark lapse, it could indicate that they simply have no desire to proceed with more.
Here is the technical description of all the trademark entails:
“The description provided to the USPTO for Saban’s Power Rangers is Entertainment in the nature of online games; entertainment services in the nature of creation, development, distribution and production of motion pictures, multimedia entertainment content and television shows; entertainment services, namely, personal appearances by characters and individuals associated with motion pictures and television series and other entertainment programs; fan clubs; presentation of live show performances; providing a website featuring entertainment information, interviews, movie clips and trailers, online games, television clips and trailers and short-form entertainment content delivered by internet, mobile and wireless networks; providing a website featuring non-downloadable videos and images in the fields of action, adventure and science fiction delivered by internet, mobile and wireless networks.”
Anything is possible. Director Dean Israelite had expressed a desire to film a sequel, but things have been silent on that front for months now. The current season of ‘Power Rangers’, which is unrelated to the film, ‘Ninja Steel’ is now airing on Nickelodeon.
UPDATE: Saban issues a statement regarding this issue.
What do you think? Are you sad that there won’t be another ‘Power Rangers’ movie in this series?
Source: Trademarkia via CinemaBlend
