Whether it’s the overhauled Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks) or the super-sleek Power Rangers costumes, Lionsgate and director Dean Israelite are in many ways breaking new ground with their live-action reboot, taking the core elements from the ’90s phenomenon and introducing a modern twist. That method of approach extends to Alpha 5, too.
Set to be portrayed by Trainwreck star Bill Hader on the silver screen, Alpha 5 was first introduced to Power Rangers fans as a panicky robotic helper, one which lent a helping hand to both the Rangers and their all-powerful sage, Zordon, throughout the course of the show. However, it appears as though Alpha 5 has undergone a fairly dramatic makeover ahead of Lionsgate’s reboot (Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi!), after IGN today unveiled the first concept art to prove that Hader’s helper has been redesigned as an alien, not a robot.
Combining organic and inorganic parts in a similar fashion to the Rangers themselves, Alpha 5 does retain the saucer-shaped head and crimson red color scheme, but the tentacled eyes and armor coating will take some getting used to. Indeed, the fact that today’s reveal arrives on the heels of the ongoing ‘#RepulsaTakesOver’ Twitter romp leads us to believe that a new Power Rangers trailer is right around the corner. Perhaps these pieces of concept art won’t seem so bizarre once we see Alpha 5 in motion? We’ll find out sooner rather than later.
Power Rangers, also starring Bryan Cranston as Zordon, is expected to arrive on March 24, 2017, and may well jump-start an entire movie franchise at Lionsgate. When a studio begins banking hopes on a sequel so far in advance, it does raise some cause for concern, particularly in the aftermath of Fox’s woeful Fantastic Four reboot, but we remain cautiously optimistic nonetheless.
