‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
09-29-13, 05:00 PM
#1
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‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
I would love to see this happen.
‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
In a recent interview with Screen Rant, Kevin Tancharoen – the director behind the wildly popular Mortal Kombat: Legacy web series and the upcoming Mortal Kombat feature film reboot – talked about his love for fan-films.
Tancharoen broke onto the scene with his own fan-film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, and we’ve since seen the trend of fan-films rapidly gain traction – including multiple sleek productions featuring DC or Marvel superheroes. Well, Tancharoen is aware of how fan-films have grown, and is happy that other are finding similar routes to success through their own creativity and vision.
As he explained,
Tancharoen’s love of fan films is no surprise, given that his own horror-themed Mortal Kombat fan film (Mortal Kombat: Rebirth) is what gave him the opportunity to make Legacy. But one surprise that Tancharoen did share was the next classic franchise he wants to take on: Power Rangers.
Tancharoen told us that he’s “always wanted to get the original cast of Power Rangers back together and do some sort of crazy dark tale of where they are now.” He went on to explain what the plot might look like.
Though Tancharoen was laughing, he wasn’t joking. Of course, whether the busy director will actually find time to bring his dark vision of Power Rangers to life remains to be seen.
Sadly, getting the original cast back together would be impossible:
•Red Ranger Austin St. John – No longer in the Hollywood game.
•Blue Ranger David Yost – Left the series under controversial circumstances.
•Yellow Ranger Thuy Trang – Died in a car crash.
Of course, the Power Rangers brand has a long list of actors who have donned the colored suits and helmets, so there are ways to fill the gaps with some range of authenticity. Update: There is the small issue of a Power Rangers Fan Film already in the works – which also happens to center on Green/White Ranger Tommy. Then again these are fan films we’re talking about, so multiple interpretations are allowed. Maybe all forces should combine on this one?
With the second season of Mortal Kombat: Legacy kicking off next week and pre-production in full swing on the Mortal Kombat feature film, Tancharoen has a pretty full plate. That being said, maybe if enough people were excited about the idea, maybe they could convince him to find the time. That is, of course, if you think it’s a good idea.
In a recent interview with Screen Rant, Kevin Tancharoen – the director behind the wildly popular Mortal Kombat: Legacy web series and the upcoming Mortal Kombat feature film reboot – talked about his love for fan-films.
Tancharoen broke onto the scene with his own fan-film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, and we’ve since seen the trend of fan-films rapidly gain traction – including multiple sleek productions featuring DC or Marvel superheroes. Well, Tancharoen is aware of how fan-films have grown, and is happy that other are finding similar routes to success through their own creativity and vision.
As he explained,
I see a lot of fan films and I just love that the Internet has allowed a lot of creators out there to just go and make something. Like, that Portal short was awesome. I recently saw some Dragon Ball Z short that was great. They made a Naruto short that was awesome. I mean, there’s so many things out there that people are making on their own, and I like to see their take on the franchise because it’s so different from what the studios are developing.
Tancharoen told us that he’s “always wanted to get the original cast of Power Rangers back together and do some sort of crazy dark tale of where they are now.” He went on to explain what the plot might look like.
Kevin Tancharoen: Zordon is dying and Red Ranger has to go find the Green Ranger, who’s now an MMA fighter, and the Yellow Ranger died in a car accident and they all have to reunite together. You know, just make it as dark as possible. I thought that would be really fun to do.
Screen Rant: That’s brilliant. I think you would set the Internet on fire.
KT: [Laughs] You open up with the Red Ranger doing MMA. I would want to go there and I think it would be a lot of fun.
Screen Rant: That’s brilliant. I think you would set the Internet on fire.
KT: [Laughs] You open up with the Red Ranger doing MMA. I would want to go there and I think it would be a lot of fun.
Sadly, getting the original cast back together would be impossible:
•Red Ranger Austin St. John – No longer in the Hollywood game.
•Blue Ranger David Yost – Left the series under controversial circumstances.
•Yellow Ranger Thuy Trang – Died in a car crash.
Of course, the Power Rangers brand has a long list of actors who have donned the colored suits and helmets, so there are ways to fill the gaps with some range of authenticity. Update: There is the small issue of a Power Rangers Fan Film already in the works – which also happens to center on Green/White Ranger Tommy. Then again these are fan films we’re talking about, so multiple interpretations are allowed. Maybe all forces should combine on this one?
With the second season of Mortal Kombat: Legacy kicking off next week and pre-production in full swing on the Mortal Kombat feature film, Tancharoen has a pretty full plate. That being said, maybe if enough people were excited about the idea, maybe they could convince him to find the time. That is, of course, if you think it’s a good idea.
09-29-13, 05:24 PM
#2
DVD Talk Legend
Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
It could be kind of cool in ways but I don't exactly see the point. Unless they somehow got the originals back together (minus the girl that played Trini obviously as she's passed away) the Power Rangers characters have basically been rebooted a bunch of times as is just in television form. I also don't think a Power Rangers film needs to be gritty or dark at all.
09-29-13, 05:53 PM
#4
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Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
I think the concept is so absurd that it just might work.
09-29-13, 06:02 PM
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Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
Anyone read up on wtf happened to the Blue Ranger? Damn. That guy went through his own hell. Conversion therapy, that shit sounds crazy.
Red Ranger looks like he got fat. Black and Pink look good for their age.
Guess Tommy, green and white ranger from the early days, still is part of it to an extent. Crazy.
Red Ranger looks like he got fat. Black and Pink look good for their age.
Guess Tommy, green and white ranger from the early days, still is part of it to an extent. Crazy.
09-29-13, 06:03 PM
#6
DVD Talk Hero
Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
I don't think this will work, though I was surprised at how well Mortal Kombat: Legacy turned out.
09-29-13, 06:12 PM
#7
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Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
Wrong direction dude. Besides, I thought those MK webisodes sucked, so maybe this is more up his alley.
09-29-13, 06:21 PM
#8
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Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
I don't know if it's true or not but I've heard that when the Blue Ranger, Billy (David Yost is the actor) was working on the set he was picked on a lot by Austin St. John and Jason David Frank and other people on the set because he's gay. I didn't know about the conversion therapy though that's weird stuff.
09-29-13, 06:23 PM
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Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
Wikipedia made it sound like he was ok with the ASJ. Seems like it was all the behind the camera people that were being the issue.
09-29-13, 08:31 PM
#10
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Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
Yeah, from what I read it was the producers that gave him hell for daring to be gay. 
So he felt he was the problem and went through the therapy that Solid Snake mentioned. He ended up having a nervous breakdown because of the therapy, as I recall.
The only former cast member still active (and he has even filmed new footage for the show) is Jason David Frank. Although not from the first season, Johnny Yong Bosch is still around and these days does voice work and mocap (like he did for a few of the Devil May Cry games).
As for this proposed fanfilm, it could work as long as it doesn't go as far as MK:L in terms of grittiness. My ideal Power Rangers movie would be another in the vein of the non-canon Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Movie. It took itself just seriously enough while at the same time willing to poke fun at the concept (mostly by means of the lines delivered by Paul Freeman as Ivan Ooze). Even a touch more serious could still work but only as long as it retains a sense of fun.
So he felt he was the problem and went through the therapy that Solid Snake mentioned. He ended up having a nervous breakdown because of the therapy, as I recall.The only former cast member still active (and he has even filmed new footage for the show) is Jason David Frank. Although not from the first season, Johnny Yong Bosch is still around and these days does voice work and mocap (like he did for a few of the Devil May Cry games).
As for this proposed fanfilm, it could work as long as it doesn't go as far as MK:L in terms of grittiness. My ideal Power Rangers movie would be another in the vein of the non-canon Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Movie. It took itself just seriously enough while at the same time willing to poke fun at the concept (mostly by means of the lines delivered by Paul Freeman as Ivan Ooze). Even a touch more serious could still work but only as long as it retains a sense of fun.
09-30-13, 09:23 AM
#11
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I do NOT need to get laid. AT ALL!
Power Rangers was actually at its best when it was a bit darker during the seasons where Judd Lynn was the showrunner and they brought over some Japanese tokusatsu directors and flexed the budget a bit more for the American footage. Power Rangers in Space was where it started, and it's almost universally adored as the show's best season. Lost Galaxy actually killed off a Ranger, and while it took quite a bit from it's Sentai counterpart, Time Force got very dark in places. And apparently RPM was pitch black. The problem always was that the expense of the US footage meant that he had to insert big arcs based on the Sentai footage and interrupt the flow of the seasons. You could always feel him straining against the censors, what with the constant "You'll be destroyed" and stuff too.
I never heard about the conversion therapy, but damn, the whole thing is a sad story the way he tells it. The producers of course say he was just a pain and wanted more money, but his story sounds sounds sad as hell. Somehow doubt he'd ever come back for a reunion.
He looked like he'd put on some weight for the 10th anniversary special "Forever Red" back in 2003, but he still did some pretty cool martial arts stunts.
He was a regular for about half of the 12th season: Power Rangers: Dinothunder, and he came back for "Forever Red," the aforementioned 10th anniversary special. I guess he fights mixed martial arts now, apparently he's quite good.
I'm still bent out of shape that the "Rebirth" pilot wasn't on the damn DVD.
JYB came back for an episode of Power Rangers in Space, the sixth season, and for "Once A Ranger," the 15th anniversary special. It was pretty big of him, apparently he woke up read the paper one day and Saban fired him during season 5 without even telling him. He does lots of anime voice-work, I didn't know about the mocap, but he's an impressive martial artist, he did some wild stunts in the super-obscure martial arts movie Broken Path directed by Power Rangers and tokusatsu alum Koichi Sakamoto.
Like I said, the Judd Lynn seasons were really the gold standard, they had some darkness, but the campy quality of the acting was enough to offset it and add some fun.
Red Ranger looks like he got fat.
Guess Tommy, green and white ranger from the early days, still is part of it to an extent. Crazy.
The only former cast member still active (and he has even filmed new footage for the show) is Jason David Frank. Although not from the first season, Johnny Yong Bosch is still around and these days does voice work and mocap (like he did for a few of the Devil May Cry games).
As for this proposed fanfilm, it could work as long as it doesn't go as far as MK:L in terms of grittiness. My ideal Power Rangers movie would be another in the vein of the non-canon Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Movie. It took itself just seriously enough while at the same time willing to poke fun at the concept (mostly by means of the lines delivered by Paul Freeman as Ivan Ooze). Even a touch more serious could still work but only as long as it retains a sense of fun.
09-30-13, 11:48 AM
#12
DVD Talk Hero
Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
Didn't David Yost stay on the longest of the original cast? Kinda surprising considering what he went through.
Are we sure he wasn't just trolling/joking, considering, as was already stated, that's exactly what happened in real life to the Green and Yellow Rangers?
Kevin Tancharoen: Zordon is dying and Red Ranger has to go find the Green Ranger, who’s now an MMA fighter, and the Yellow Ranger died in a car accident and they all have to reunite together. You know, just make it as dark as possible. I thought that would be really fun to do.
09-30-13, 12:11 PM
#13
Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
I recently saw the guy who played the green ranger signing autographs at the STL comic con a couple months ago. So I'm sure he would be game 
09-30-13, 05:24 PM
#14
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Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
I don't think it was meant as a joke but rather as an acknowledgment to the fans who know the actual backgrounds of the actors in the show. Kind of how in the first season of MK:L they mention that Johnny Cage was in Power Rangers. That was a playful wink at the fact that the actor, Matt Mullins, was from Kamen Rider.
09-30-13, 06:46 PM
#15
DVD Talk Hero
Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
Still, though, having a real-life tragic car accident be referenced in the show seems a bit tacky. It's like if they referenced what happened to Yost.
09-30-13, 07:54 PM
#16
DVD Talk Hero
Thread Starter
Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
It's no different than when a show works in the real life reason a cast member passed away as the reason the character he/she portrayed is no longer on the show.
09-30-13, 08:04 PM
#17
Re: I do NOT need to get laid. AT ALL!
Power Rangers was actually at its best when it was a bit darker during the seasons where Judd Lynn was the showrunner and they brought over some Japanese tokusatsu directors and flexed the budget a bit more for the American footage. Power Rangers in Space was where it started, and it's almost universally adored as the show's best season. Lost Galaxy actually killed off a Ranger, and while it took quite a bit from it's Sentai counterpart, Time Force got very dark in places. And apparently RPM was pitch black. The problem always was that the expense of the US footage meant that he had to insert big arcs based on the Sentai footage and interrupt the flow of the seasons. You could always feel him straining against the censors, what with the constant "You'll be destroyed" and stuff too.
I never heard about the conversion therapy, but damn, the whole thing is a sad story the way he tells it. The producers of course say he was just a pain and wanted more money, but his story sounds sounds sad as hell. Somehow doubt he'd ever come back for a reunion.
He looked like he'd put on some weight for the 10th anniversary special "Forever Red" back in 2003, but he still did some pretty cool martial arts stunts.
He was a regular for about half of the 12th season: Power Rangers: Dinothunder, and he came back for "Forever Red," the aforementioned 10th anniversary special. I guess he fights mixed martial arts now, apparently he's quite good.
I'm still bent out of shape that the "Rebirth" pilot wasn't on the damn DVD.
JYB came back for an episode of Power Rangers in Space, the sixth season, and for "Once A Ranger," the 15th anniversary special. It was pretty big of him, apparently he woke up read the paper one day and Saban fired him during season 5 without even telling him. He does lots of anime voice-work, I didn't know about the mocap, but he's an impressive martial artist, he did some wild stunts in the super-obscure martial arts movie Broken Path directed by Power Rangers and tokusatsu alum Koichi Sakamoto.
Like I said, the Judd Lynn seasons were really the gold standard, they had some darkness, but the campy quality of the acting was enough to offset it and add some fun.
I never heard about the conversion therapy, but damn, the whole thing is a sad story the way he tells it. The producers of course say he was just a pain and wanted more money, but his story sounds sounds sad as hell. Somehow doubt he'd ever come back for a reunion.
He looked like he'd put on some weight for the 10th anniversary special "Forever Red" back in 2003, but he still did some pretty cool martial arts stunts.
He was a regular for about half of the 12th season: Power Rangers: Dinothunder, and he came back for "Forever Red," the aforementioned 10th anniversary special. I guess he fights mixed martial arts now, apparently he's quite good.
I'm still bent out of shape that the "Rebirth" pilot wasn't on the damn DVD.
JYB came back for an episode of Power Rangers in Space, the sixth season, and for "Once A Ranger," the 15th anniversary special. It was pretty big of him, apparently he woke up read the paper one day and Saban fired him during season 5 without even telling him. He does lots of anime voice-work, I didn't know about the mocap, but he's an impressive martial artist, he did some wild stunts in the super-obscure martial arts movie Broken Path directed by Power Rangers and tokusatsu alum Koichi Sakamoto.
Like I said, the Judd Lynn seasons were really the gold standard, they had some darkness, but the campy quality of the acting was enough to offset it and add some fun.
Jason David Frank (Tommy) and the two guys who played Bulk and Skull will be appearing at Comic Con in New York this month (October 10-12) I pitched an interview with them to the Japanese pop culture magazine I write for and they weren't interested so I didn't bother trying to get a press pass.
My favorite season remains "Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue," with "Time Force" a close second and "PR in Space" a close third. The three-part finale of "Lost Galaxy," entitled "Journey's End" was a masterpiece also.
10-01-13, 03:02 PM
#18
DVD Talk Hero
Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
I should go back and watch Goseiger, but they must've changed a heck of a lot, because Megaforce is about some insects invading Earth and Goseiger is about angels or something... I remember it didn't seem all that popular.
10-01-13, 06:40 PM
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Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
I have a hard time believing anything Power Rangers to be a masterpiece. Maybe for the genre but mostly it's always been crap from what little I've seen over the years.
The only reason I even liked them to start off was cuz of the zords
The only reason I even liked them to start off was cuz of the zords
10-01-13, 07:14 PM
#20
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Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
It's not the greatest show ever by any means but I think the original Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers and Power Rangers In Space were pretty decent shows for what they were. Those are pretty much the only ones I remember enough and can't comment on the rest (I think Power Rangers Lost Galaxy was the last one I watched).
10-01-13, 09:11 PM
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10-01-13, 11:01 PM
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Re: ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ Director Wants to Make Gritty ‘Power Rangers’ Fan-Film
Not exactly. I pretty much stayed with power rangers for for the first 4 or 5 years. Not knowing exactly when it ended for me. Over the years I've seen probably about 5 episodes at most for each new different titled version of it cuz I've got little cousins who I'd end up watching it with. If it has masterpiece quality I must have missed it.
10-02-13, 12:24 AM
#24
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