Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy (Planned Reboot)

A Steven Soderbergh-style  Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy - the reboot film - was going to be an upcoming science fiction/fantasy/action fan-film based on the Power Rangers season of t11515151e following events to mention a few. Villains 15215151osed to be scrapped consequently despite more strong and tough guilty issues with his[1] personal life and withdrawl of the project's completion (i15515151515ernick and Rhett Reese (who, both at the time, were set to pen the screenplay for G.I. Joe: Retaliation ) to write a firsthand rough draft of the script. Despite Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy's reboot film is pitched for a darker tone, Wernick and Reese were suggesting for the story if there should be any origins of Leo and Mike Corbett's earlier lives. In one scene of Reese's first draft, he included a flashback scene where he included a younger Leo Corbett (probably at age 10), after a tragic deadly car accident his parents died from, being afraid of his parents' death. In another flashback scene, Reese included a college-aged Leo, troubled with traumatic images of his parents' death, avenging them for revenge. James Vanderbilt pointed out that this script Reese wrote firsthand didn't make any sense with the origin of the Red Ranger. Vanderbilt said some of these flashback plots were based on the origin story influenced from Batman Begins (Christopher Nolan's reboot of the Batman film series) but he and Wernick would not include it in the final polishing of Reese's scriptment.

The Magna Defender's origin would be included somewhat. After the writing trio have observed footage of the Defender from Seijuu Sentai Gingaman, Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy's sentai counterpart, they were intending to make the film sound much darker with Magna Defender avenging the death of his son Zika, his home planet, and vowing on seeking revenge upon Scorpius, who is a insectile warlord and the father of Trakeena. In the film, like in the previous one, Trakeena would appear resembling a drag queen as her make-up scheme. Vanderbilt was considering a love story between Leo and Maya (compared to the Leo-Kendrix and/or Leo-Karone relationships in the show). Unfortunately, in March 2012, words spoke by Anthony Marsh, Jr had it that Trakeena will NOT be in the reboot.

Anthony Marsh, Jr, who resently appeared in the Power Rangers LG film (The Rise of Trakeena), said he would appear in a planned reboot film but the producers felt that they can't carry on having him as a recurring cast member. Marsh would likely stay on as executive producer and creative consultant (or, literately, a voice actor) instead. This was a "Drop in the Bucket" moment for the series, prior to most of the first film's promotional failures after its release and when Marsh graduated from High School the following June. After Power Rangers LG: The Rise of Trakeena was released, the film flopped "big time" at the box office and fans gave the film universal panning and whilist to this result, Power Rangers Lost Galaxy's popularity with fans "died out" for good and the realization of Marsh's continuity of Power Rangers as a rising fad was quickly over. According to what producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura  said about the Power Rangers LG sequel (which was currently left unproduced and unfilmed), if the sequel doesn't turn out to be as successful as the first film, then "We might as well 'reboot' the series entirely. I don't even know what is wrong with this Power Rangers series [based on a resent older show] turning out as a bad movie franchise. We [and Anthony] are trying to do the best we can". With Galactic Military Police Defenders canceled, the reboot project has been greenlit to be put into immediate development. Marsh, Jr was considering a fan-film reboot to Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy in May 2011 (sans Martin Lawrence, who is already attatched to play the Green Ranger), with Jerry O'Connell  as  Leo Corbett , John Cho  as  Kai Chen , Erin Chambers as Kendrix Morgan  and Megan Fox as  Maya. Marsh later cancelled this version of a PRLG reboot in late May 2011, "because it would not make [any] good sense (because there was no good story to tell for a reboot)". Instead, he rather do a reboot fan-film of his Power Rangers LG: Galactic Military Police Defenders comic book continuity, with a much younger cast. Since then, the following forementioned actors to play the Galaxy Rangers (O'Connell, Cho, Fox, and Chambers) were let go (except Lawrence) and all six Galaxy Rangers (Leo, Damon, Maya, Kendrix, Kai, and Mike) were deleted from the reboot and were written out entirely and Marsh had to throw the rough script of the pre-version of the reboot (with the actual Lost Galaxy Power Rangers involved) in the trash and would not have them shown or portrayed in the film ever again. At least some of the Lost Galaxy Rangers' respective villains such as Scorpius,  Furio , and  Trakeena  would star as exampled antagonists.

Before the release of "Power Rangers Lost Galaxy:The Rise of Trakeena", Paramount Pictures and Marsh Bros. Productions originally wanted the reboot to be out for a release in either 2013, 2014, or 2015. As of July 15, 2011, Marsh said the reboot will take 2 years in the making, "No need to rush. I'm also afraid about the year 2012 with that whole End of the World conspiricy. That's what urking me. People [who believes this] saying our world coming to an end (in December) and I don't think I can get this done through by 2013 or '14. So, how is this gonna budge? We'll see." Marsh also commented, "If this 2012 Apocalypse stuff ruin our lives by the end of '12, we won't have a good holiday season. Our Christmas/New Year's traditions would be discontinued if this happens. I won't like it." The film is mainly based on the PRLG- Underground script and unproduced film Marsh once created for his "Power Rangers" continuity in 2006, which was during and between the runs of two Disney-produced seasons of the show, Power Rangers: SPD and Power Rangers: Mystic Force. As the rising promotion for Power Rangers: Samurai overgoes, PRLG/GMPD's popularity streaks were dying out so in order for Marsh to save his continuity of Power Rangers (which is only for Fan-Fiction purposes), Saban would support the series. They were planning to do this and work on a 20th Anniversary feature film of Power Rangers, which would likely be a teamup movie (featuring all the teams in the show) or a film mainly based on the Samurai season. On July 11, 2011, Marsh said this reboot film of PRLG will be released and slated for a June 2014 release to accomidate the 15th Anniversary of Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy and his fanfic continuity.

Though the first film was a "staggering struggle", according to Marsh, the new movie would be more "entertaining, exciting, and emotional". Marsh said he wants Power Rangers LG: Galactic Underground to be "a taunting dark and gritty backstory which would give the audiences (expecially the fans) tons of thrills throughout its epic, but dark, heroic development".

Casting and Director
Mark Valley, known for playing in two canceled FOX shows Keen Eddie (2002-2003) and Human Target (2010), was originally chosen for the part of Mike Corbett , the older brother of Red Galaxy Ranger Leo Corbett. In the reboot, since the film takes place after Lost Galaxy's last episode but restarting the season's story over, Mike doesn't become the Magna Defender until the near end of this film.

The first actor considering for Kai Chen, by Anthony Marsh Jr, was originally John Cho (Harold & Kumar films, Star Trek) but Cho did an audition the following April of 2011. By then, he decided not to appear. Jay Chou did an audition but he felt he didn't have the authenticity to play the character's Ranger designation. Bonaventura approached Lee Bryung-Hun  (who plays Storm Shadow in the G.I. Joe films) to see if the actor would like to play Kai in the film. Bonaventura also thought of Tyrese Gibson  (who played sgt. Epps in the Transformers films) for the role of Damon Henderson, the Green Galaxy Ranger. Earl "DMX" Simmons was originally thought of for the part but Marsh said "I don't want no no-name celebrity who is a junkie that went to jail for a crime I don't even want to know of". Lance Gross, Sean "Puff-Diddy" Combs, Corbin Bleu, RZA, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, and Damon Wayans, JR did auditions for the part. On May 25, 2012, the producers had options on asking Marlon Wayans  to play Damon. In order to resemble Reggie Rolle 's version from the TV series, Wayans would have to shave all of his hair bald and facial hair as well. Wayans said he is currently busy on another film, so on the same day, Bonaventura called Don Cheadle  to try the role out.

Casting Red Galaxy Ranger Leo Corbett was going to be difficult. Jake Gyllenhaal was originally considered for the role in the reboot but Gyllenhaal was currently attatched to play it in Power Rangers: Galactic Retaliation. Gyllenhaal even tried auditioning for the part of Leo's brother Mike, and he was close to win the part. On May 7, 2012, the role of Mike has now been given to Brandon Routh (Superman Returns) Now for Leo, Bonaventura and producer  Jackie Marchand  had some casting interest in actor  Ian Somerhalder, known for his role as Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries for The CW network. Somerhalder auditioned for the part but originally found the character


 * "Not my type. I wasn't really into Power Rangers growing up, watching the show, buying toys of the show, and whatnot. Seeing a guy wearing a Red power suit possessing a technological or magical power or special abilities would be energetic and fun to do but still the role wouldn't be something I would enjoy playing. I just did a small tryout for an audition one day but still I'm not sure I'm 'The [right] Guy' for this."

Somerhalder was given some scenes from Power Rangers LG: The Rise of Trakeena, featuring Tobey Maguire  as the Red Ranger -- but he was a different Ranger that has nothing to do with the franchise's canon universe. The Red Ranger in that movie, was a non-canon Ranger -- to try a certain physicial portrayal of his own. During his 2-day audition on March 28-29, 2012, Koichi Sakamoto, one of Power Rangers' well-known production staff members, brought the actor in for martial arts training in a local gym. Somerhalder spent 2 more days practicing the Ranger's martial arts and hand-to-hand combat techniques and practiced 1 day during acrobatic stunt work. On June 10, 2012, it was reported that Somerhalder had decided not to appear in the film as Leo and the producers gave the character back to Gyllenhaal.

Julie Benz was cast as Pink Galaxy Ranger Kendrix Morgan. Hillary Duff, Alyssa Milano, and Zooey Deschanel did auditions for the part.

Like actor considerations for Leo, Maya sought some difficult actor choices. Lindsay Sloane originally wanted the part of the Yellow Galaxy Ranger. Sloane was given a small script (like Somerhalder did), read and portrayed the character's lines and would accept in being in the film. Unfortunately, a day later (March 29, 2012), Sloane decided to decline to be fully cast because she felt the part was not her type. On April 2, 2012, the role of Maya would be confirmed and be given to Elizabeth Bogush. Bogush approached the part after Sakamoto observed her some footage of Cerina Vincent  playing Maya on television, though Power Rangers was the first acting move Cerina started on before during films such as Not Another Teen Movie and Cabin Fever. Marsh only sought Bogush on an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond (in the episode "She's The One"). On April 26, 2012, Bogush decided to not portray and star in the film as Maya but decided to appear as a different character. The same day, Bonaventura expressed interest in bringing in actress Olivia Wilde  (Cowboys & Aliens) to play the part. Marsh originally considered Wilde to play Trakeena in a future project but the producers told him "she won't be in the reboot". Like most of the actors from the previous film and this film, Wilde is unfamilar with the franchise. The producers observed Wilde at least 1 episode of Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy, featuring Cerina Vincent as Maya, to see if Wilde would be interested into joining the cast. After seeing the show, Wilde accepted the part. Michael Fassbender has been cast to play Villamax, while voice actors  Charlie Adler  and  Jeff Bennett  have been involved to voice Treacheron and Furio respectively.

On April 28, 2012, Paramount originally hired director Steven Soderbergh  to direct the film.

Following his induction as director, Soderbergh had begun interest in bringing Trakeena to the film as a villain but said


 * "I don't care what Anthony wants with her not being in a reboot of this Power Ranger show, she is part of Lost Galaxy and was from its beginning. So why do we have to wait until we do a sequel? I say we bring her in early. I saw his casting sheet for this before he had quit his series and ended it, and I looked 'Why is Trakeena not in it?' and I said to someone, she was the main antagonist of the series. Someone had already gave me some footage of the character from the show, and what? Second of all, his Power Rangers Lost Galaxy movie looked way too fake. Seriously, who in the world wants to watch a stupid fan-film of this stuff where he had mostly paper-dolls of the characters and not having actors in costume and makeup? I hated the first film so that's why I want the new movie to be more realistic."

Like in The Rise of Trakeena, there has been more frustrating casting calls for Trakeena here for the reboot. Sherilyn Fenn was going to be involved to play it but Soderbergh said Fenn is "a terrible actress. She is never successful". Other actresses had auditioned: Pamela Anderson, Julianne Moore, Angelina Jolie, Gina Gershon, Eva Green, Rachel McAdams, Emily Procter, Ashley Judd, Mariska Harigtay, Debra Messing, and Rose McGowan. Female celebs of other genres- Julie Strain (a porn star), Julia Ann (a porn star), Denise Milani, Lisa Marie-Presley (a singer), Mandy Lynn (a model), and Miss America 2012 Michaela Grace Lackey has been previously involved to play the part but they all declined. One more person of this other-celeb genre was involved, Bonaventura and Soderbergh both had interest in Doro Pesch, a singer who is famously known as the lead singer for the 1980s Metal band Warlock, to don a first-actng gig to play Trakeena. "We have seen Doro with her gothic makeup. I think we got ourselves a winner". On June 11, 2012, Pesch said she is not coming to do the film because she is unfamiliar with Power Rangers and doesn't know nothing about Trakeena. However on June 10, 2012, singer Gwen Stefani was  confirmed to play the villain in the film,which would make this her first film debut.

Sequel
The reboot's sequel will include Trakeena as its main villain, with an option of casting Sherilyn Fenn  to play her.

Trivia

 * This will be the first film of the series to NOT be consulted by Anthony Marsh, Jr.
 * This will be the second film of the Power Rangers fan-film series, part of the Morphin Reboot Wars saga, following Anthony Marsh, Jr's reboot of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
 * Unlike The Rise of Trakeena, Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy 2014 will be the first film to not include any stock footage from Seijuu Sentai Gingaman, since it was Lost Galaxy's source footage and precursor from the TV series.
 * Unlike The Rise of Trakeena, Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy will be the first Lost Galaxy film to NOT include any of the actors (who have played its Rangers, Villains, etc.) from the previous film, because half of the characters in that film had no common relation at all to the actual Power Rangers universe. Therefore, the reboot has actors playing the REAL Lost Galaxy Power Rangers, not none of Anthony Marsh, Jr's Galaxy Rangers.
 * Unlike The Rise of Trakeena, this film will not include Trakeena in the reboot, but is confirmed for the sequel.