Power Rangers Set Photos Offer New Look At Elizabeth Banks’ Menacing Rita Repulsa

Elizabeth Banks’ all-powerful alien Rita Repulsa descends on the streets of Angel Grove in new set photos for Lionsgate’s Power Rangers movie.

Arriving hot on the heels of last week’s official unveiling of Banks as the infamous supervillain – sporting a “modern, edgy” costume that wouldn’t look out of place in Ed Boon’s Mortal Kombat series – these snaps from the ongoing production indicate that Rita Repulsa will pay Earth a visit in next year’s live-action feature film.

That’s a fairly significant departure from the warmongering witch that Power Rangers fans have come accustomed to, who often commandeers alien enemies while housed up on the Moon. How and ever, eagle-eyed fans point to Banks’ staff as a sure-fire sign that Lionsgate is lifting inspiration from the original series. And yes, that signature cackle looks to make an appearance as well.

Per Twitter:

First look! @ElizabethBanks is Rita Repulsa in #PowerRangers filming in #Vancouver https://t.co/lOeekVUdW1 pic.twitter.com/8qRbUECOFH

— Vancity Buzz (@VancityBuzz) April 25, 2016

Wow. Great photo @pursuit23 – #ElizabethBanks #PowerRangers #yvrshoots pic.twitter.com/zOmEI22ZGp

— Lindsay B (@lemon_buzz) April 25, 2016

Where exactly this sequence will fit into Dean Israelite’s finished product remains to be seen, but the director has assembled RJ Cyler, Becky G, Ludi Lin, Naomi Scott and Dacre Montgomery as the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers that will be standing in Repulsa’s way.

As the fate of the planet hangs in the balance, Lionsgate has drafted in Haim Saban of Saban Films to produce, after he reclaimed the Power Rangers rights from Disney more than half a decade ago. He’ll be flanked by Brian Casentini and Allison Shearmur.

Vancouver is currently playing host to Lionsgate’s Power Rangers movie, as it begins to take shape ahead of a theatrical bow on March 24, 2017.