Original Power Rangers reunite to take on Rita Repulsa in trailer for new Netflix 30th anniversary special
The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers are back in a new trailer for a Netflix special to mark 30 years since the debut of the original hit childrens TV series.
Described as a “scripted, stand-alone” show, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always will hit the streaming service on April 19 and see a number of fan favourites reprise their roles, including David Yost (Blue Ranger/Billy Cranston) and Walter E Jones (Black Ranger/Zack Taylor).
Also donning their Power Suits once more are Catherine Sutherland (the second Pink Ranger/Katherine “Kat” Hillard) and Steve Cardenas (the second Red Ranger/Rocky DeSantos).
The trailer shows the Power Rangers re-team to face-off against baddie Rita Repulsa after discovering she killed Trini Kwan, the original Yellow Ranger.
Trini’s daughter Minh Kwan is also introduced, adamant that they must avenge her mother’s death.
It’s a poignant nod as Thuy Trang, the actress who played the Yellow Ranger, was tragically killed in 2001 in a car accident. She was just 27 years old.
Rita’s return is sure to come as a surprise to fans too as Japanese actress Machiko Soga, who portrayed her on screen, died in 2006. The character has been brought back however as a robot with Barbara Goodson once again providing her English dubbed voice.
The clip, which was shared to Twitter by Netflix, explains that Rita is making a time portal and wants to kill the team before Zordon makes them Rangers.
One noticeable absence is Amy Jo Johnson (Pink Ranger/Kimberly Hart), who declined the offer to return for the show.
Opening up about her decision not to appear in the reunion episode, she wrote on Twitter: “For the record I never said no, I just didn’t say yes to what was offered.”
She added: “But other fun stuff is in store! Looking forward to watching my friends kick ass!”
It also remains to be seen whether the show will address the death of Jason David Frank, who played the popular character of Tommy Oliver/the Green-turned-White Ranger.
Frank died in November 2022 aged 49 after taking his own life.
