The Power Rangers are making a comeback in a big way and there are some significant changes rumored to be taking place in the next installment. The upcoming film will have a brand new cast to bring the characters to life, and one of the stars of the hit horror movie IT and its sequel, IT: Chapter Two is reportedly being eyed to play the Red Ranger.
Lionsgate’s attempt at a Power Rangers pic back in 2017 didn’t fare as well as the studio would’ve hoped. So, the producers have decided to take another stab at rebooting the franchise on the big screen. This take on the property will apparently involve time travel and be set in the 1990s. The very different time period isn’t the only prominent change coming in the new film, though, as this time around, the majority of the team’s members will be female, with there also being reports that the leader of the group, the Red Ranger, will be gender-swapped. And now it seems we may have an idea of who’ll be taking on that role.
According to our sources – the same ones who said Disney was developing a Beauty and the Beast spinoff for Gaston, and Transformers is being rebooted –Â IT actress Sophia Lillis is being eyed for the Red Ranger in the upcoming project. Though she’s not the only actress they’re looking at, she’s definitely a solid choice who has a pretty impressive resume so far.
She’s a proven scream queen from her time in both of the IT movies and has experience with superpowers with her recently released Netflix series I’m Not Okay With This. So, it makes sense that she’d be on top of the list to lead the Mighty Morphin team when they make their triumphant return to the big screen.
Of course, the Power Rangers are usually known for having a man at the helm, but it appears that this next attempt is really aiming to change things up in more ways than one. After all, there are also reports that suggest the Blue Ranger will be gay in the next iteration. The franchise has always embraced diversity, and it seems these changes, whether they all make it into the final draft of the script or not, are certainly good signs that the next film in the series is moving in the right direction.
Tell us, though, what are your thoughts on Sophia Lillis playing the Red Ranger in the Power Rangers reboot? Morph on over to the comments and let us know!