The “power rangers” franchise will reach it’s 25Th Anniversary milestone next year, and Saban is pulling out all the stops for the extravaganza celebration.

2018 will see the 25th season of the show with “Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel” and will feature a 25th anniversary episode which will more than likely see various former rangers returning to the series for the event.

2018 will also see the live action “Power Rangers” tour hit venues across the world.

The Power Rangers are just as popular today as they were in yesteryear, could the world be seeing a new height to the franchise?

How much of this has to do with Saban buying the franchise back from Disney?

Could the “Power Rangers” franchise one day top their popularity from the early 1990’s?

Pre-Disney Saban Era

“Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” first premiered in 1993 and soon after took the world by storm. The original series would last for three seasons before morphing into “Power Rangers Zoe” and then “Power Rangers Turbo” and so on.

The original storyline centered around five teenagers with attitude who are chosen by an interdimensional being known as Zordon to defend Earth against the evil witch Rita Repulsa. Together the five teenagers could morph into a super hero fighting team known as the “Power Rangers”

This storyline would feature many different characters and variations of the original team and would last all the way up unti the end of the sixth season, “Power Rangers in Space.”

After the “In Space” season the show took a formulaic theme with each new season featuring a brand new group of rangers, a new villain, and no continuity between previous seasons.

But the world loved it. The “Power Rangers” had become a pop culture phenomenon almost over night.

There were toy lines, two feature length theatrically released movies, several video games, and even spin off shows such as “Masked Rider,” “VR Troopers,” and “Big Bad Beetleborgs.”

But then the unimaginable happened. Saban sold the rights to the Power Rangers!

Disney’s reign

In 2001 Disney bought the franchise from Saban with high hopes for the characters. However, test screenings showed mother’s did not care for the show due to the violence and the franchise was placed on the back burner.

The showed continued to air for the next several years under Disney, however the company did very little to promote the show or its toys.

Eventually Disney made an announcement that the live action tv show would end and the show would continue in cartoon form. There was panic. There was hysteria. And then, there was a savior.

Saban buys back his property

In 2010 Saban arrived out of the shadows to reclaim his franchise, and pull the beloved characters from the depths of cartoon hell.

Saban bought the franchise back from Disney for considerably less than what he sold it for, and vowed to return the rangers to their former pop culture glory.

And Saban has not disappointed.

Since Saban has bought back the franchise, fans have seen a dramatic improvement in quality of the show, toy lines, and overall staying power of the franchise they grew up watching, have introduced their kids to, and still love today.

“Power Rangers” today

Today “Power Rangers” is reaching and catching glimpses of its former mid-1990s glory.

In 2017 fans were introduced to a new version of the original line-up in the form of the action adventure reboot “Power Rangers” movie.

Bandai toy company has also even releasing legacy toys every year to the public, which has fans excited to see their old toys as a child come back only this time better than ever.

Two years ago, in 2014, we witnessed various former rangers back in action in the “Power Rangers Super Mega Force: Legendary Battle” TV movie.

Today fans of the franchise can get their Power Ranger fix before the new season starts in the form of an interactive tabletop RPG airing on Twitch called, “Power Rangers Hyperforce.” The show features various Internet personalities as well as former actors from the show.

2018 will see numerous more surprises and cause for celebration for fans with the 25th anniversary of the show.

”Power Rangers” popularity

While the height of the “Power Rangers” is still back in the mid-1990s, there is a chance for the show to surpass it’s former glory.

Fans who were children when the show first aired are now grown with children of their own. They’re able to introduce a whole new generation to the Rangers and by the looks of it, this new generation is just as enamored as the last.

The internet is buzzing with curiosity for a sequel to the 2017 movie, which admittedly did not do that well in the box office, however fans are still begging for more.

There is even a petition floating around the internet to have the Rangers appear in the “Injustice 2” video game for consoles.

The actors who played the rangers are enjoying the resurgence in popularity as well, with many of them attending more and more conventions than ever before.

The “Power Rangers” may be coming into their 25th year on air, but there seems to be no keeping the franchise down.

After a stumble or two with Disney, it’s safe to say that as their popularity begins to rise once again, fans can almost hear Austin St. John in the distance yelling “BACK TO ACTION!”
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