Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Rise of Trakeena (Pre-Production and Pre-Development)



For the past 10-11 years, prior to the box office and critical failure of Power Rangers Turbo's feature film, Saban's rights to Power Rangers being sold to Disney in 2002, Disney giving the show up in mid-2010, and soso, there have been plans to revive the Power Rangers franchise to the big screen once again. In the spring of 2010, Anthony Marsh, Jr, a long-time fan of the show, has been still working on a fan-film based on Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy. Previous attempts of making Lost Galaxy into a feature film by Marsh were extremely unsuccessful during the 2000s, and this was a hint of the project being in "Development Hell" for so long until late 2009. The motion picture rights to PRLG were purchased by Paramount Pictures in 1999 and the studio have waited all this long for Saban and Marsh to make a film based on the season and planned film adapts of other resent Power Rangers seasons.

During the time, unlike the other PRLG "faux"-film titles Marsh made over the past 10 years, Marsh came up with the title of the film called Power Rangers LG: The Rise of Trakeena. Unfortunately, according to Marsh's younger brother Austin Marsh (who is also a fan of the show), suggested Marsh, Jr to call the film as entitled Power Rangers: When Worlds Collide -because in the film's first 4 drafts, there were elements from other movie, video game and TV show universes that don't belong in the franchise and has nothing to do with it neither- so Marsh rejected Austin's suggestion and went to go by the title of The Rise of Trakeena instead. According to Marsh, in a interview with Fanfilms.net, Power Rangers LG: The Rise of Trakeena is mainly about "Scorpius' daughter making a name for herself and how she would start conquering and destroying universes, including Terra Venture and the Power Rangers". Marsh stated that the film mostly focuses on Trakeena as she "starts her life as a queen all over again". In the TV series, she started off as a "spoiled princess", then until Scorpius' death, she became queen. During pre-development of the film, there has been a whole lot of actresses considered for the villainess. Trakeena was worked out in the first two unproduced Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy films twice (which were unexpected 2002-2004 releases), but  Steven Spielberg thought of her as a "sex symbol" like she is innapropriate to look at "because you can tell the concept and look of her costume". She was introduced as an antagonist, as Marsh found her a visually fascinating villain, thus far seen in Power Rangers.

Marsh is a huge fan of the character, but he had previously wanted to work with Amy Rolle (who played the character in  Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy  ) on a number of projects in the past (though she had been unable to do so- Rolle then decided to retire after filming  Rock Star,  a film in which she had a small role), and was agreeable to her new anarchic interpretation of the character. Amy came to the film because it did not involve "having a breakdown or addicted to heroin or dying at the end, something that was just maybe really great fun and that people went to see and actually just had a great time seeing- EXPECTALLY when you have a loopy-acting woman on psychological drugs clinicly obsessed with a young teenage boy" Marsh confirmed, as of February 2009, that Miller-Rolle is one of his favorite cast members in the Power Rangers franchise and has dedicated the film to her and Reggie Rolle-the actor who played the Green Galaxy Ranger. Amy reminded her newly improved interpretation of the character and her story as inspirations from Glenn Close (who played a demented woman in the 1987 film Fatal Attraction') 'but she mostly wanted to be like a young Bette Davis (who also played some demented women characters, with a chronic illness, in films such as Hush....Hush Sweet Charlotte and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? . Marsh instead to recreate Trakeena more like the Natural Born Killers'' character Mallory Knox, while devoting herself to the Red Ranger, stating he's her one true love and often tells stories and fantasies about her and Tony Marshall living in a fantasy paradise.

In one of Marsh`s scripts, the Rex character is corrupted and mutated into Deviot, whom Trakeena needs to lead an army of supersoldiers and a "master race" of aliens and robots, even leading a full-scale insectiod tribe with Trakeena as the leader of that group. In one of Alvin Sargent`s drafts, A lonely dame (who may be Tracy Turner or Wendy DeVille) is married to Rex Turner-Patterson (a 70-something-year old man, who, a military commander and beloved husband of Wendy DeVille) but has lost feelings for Tony, but later winds up killed by Trakeena. Jimmy the Panda speaks, but his vocal cords are slashed during the story, rendering him mute. Mayimbe suggested Sargent to rewrite another script. Fan response to the film following the script review was mixed to negative. Lorenzo di Bonaventura came on board as executive producer in February 2005. Bonaventura came on board because he wanted to depict the origin story of certain characters (mainly the villains ), and introduced the new character of Rex, to allow an exploration of Tony. Rex's name came from Hasbro, and it was also thought out. Marsh felt, "'What the Power Rangers stand for, and what Tony stands for, specifically in the movie, means so many different things as something that I'd like to think a worldwide audience might connect with.". Between 2005 to 2006 and beyond, Paramount Pictures hired Bryan Spicer to originally direct the film after his presentation to CEO Brad Grey and production prexy Brad Weston was well-received. Spicer had been inspired to re-explore the Power Rangers universe after visiting Disney`s now-former headquarters in New Zealand, as of 2009. The project had found the momentum based on the box-office success of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie(1995). Spicer signed on to direct the film based on Anthony Marsh`s take on Power Rangers because the concept for the film reminded him to that of Spider-Man, James Bond and  Star Wars and he described the underwater and galactic space battles in the story as tributes to the James Bond film Thunderball. and '' Star Wars: Episode IV: Return of the Jedi.  Marsh also wanted an all-star annual supporting cast for the project ''as the movie itself lends a more epic feel and credibility to the story and the show`s self-discontiuation. Overall, Marsh wanted Power Rangers: LG to be focused on Tony, Trakeena, Deviot, and Chris Donner- With Tony`s journey being the one of forgiveness. In one draft by James Vanderbilt, the film’s midway climax would take place at a Cathedral in New York (to represent an area at Terra Venture’s Central Dome) one villain (which at this point which would either be Villamax or Deviot) to be killed before the film’s end and had Tony Marsh revealing his Ranger identity to Trakeena, who in a long-term memory-loss coma. His main rough draft was also high on violence, had a strong use of profanity, slurs, and other inappropriate remarks and also had the Red Ranger and Trakeena having sex.

Marsh had a well thoughted-out surgation of having a relationship between the Red Ranger and Trakeena to be more interesting. Often word-for-word, Marsh stated on his Facebook page that Rolle's performance as her original incarnation of Trakeena, whose new repraisal, in the movie will only be a 1-time comeback promotion, not for something to keep going on for more years to come.

With Power Rangers: LG annually cast, production originally started and filming took place everywhere in the following states: Maryland, West Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Texas, Nevada, and California.

Production however, was delayed for a week and a half because Marsh was busy shooting his first basic short film Drinking Water and another basic short film of his, How to Tie a Tie (Two films he had to film for his 5th pd. Video Production class). During filming, the movie (like with all the other Power Rangers seasons) features “splicing”footages of the American production with the Japanese Sentai footage. This is also the first Power Ranger movie (but despite the exception of it being fan-made) to feature both American and Japanese Sentai footages to trendsend the action sequences featured from its Sentai predecessor -- Gingaman  (Lost Galaxy’s counterpart)-- along with footages and other related elements from other Super Sentai counterparts the other Power Rangers shows are based on (like  Zyuranger ,MMPR’s main predecessor, for example). Certain American-made action scenes that Marsh created and filmed for the movie will be cut for the action scenes from the JapaneseSuper Sentai show that his Power Rangers are based on- 1998’s ''Seijuu Sentai Gingaman. ''– along with other countertparts from other PR shows- Zyuranger, Dairanger, Kakuranger, Megaranger, and Timeranger. Most sets in the film (including Terra Venture, the Scorpion Stinger, Chris Donner’s STARK Submarine ship, and soso) were built at most vacant Sony Pictures Soundstages and resent sets were built at the Universal Studios backlots, Downey Soundstages, and wherever Anthony Marsh, jr goes in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Most of Trakeena’s scenes had to be moved for shootings the following October (later December, skipping November, due to Marsh and Spicer shooting more principal photography location and scenes involving the Power Rangers, Villamax, Jet Rocket, Chris Donner, Commander Chalmers, and the Neo-Vipers). Amy Rolle’s scenes was suppose to begin in October for a very large unlimited time due to a very long script consideration for the character. Deviot’s scenes began two days later as the suit actor in costume, Jeff Brennani, came in the following day. Most of the film’s actors (except Anthony Marsh, Jr) performed their own stunts while Shannon Spruill has already “pull some wrestling moves off my sleeves” for her Gwen McQueen character. Marsh also stated that Production has lasted for 4 ½ months [ in 2010 ] and the first two months of 2011 (for any make-up shots) in order for Paramount to get production underway as soon as possible.

Production Problems
Beginning New Year's Day 2011, It was announced that Power Rangers LG's production limit has be extended through January to mid-March 2011 despite filming was on hiatus. When production resumed, filming on Power Rangers: LG had to go "underground" for a few weeks, the reason why, Marsh was aware that, due to his carried-away obsession with the picture, production may end up being shut down due to a promise he made but broke this promise on February 4, 2011. Came February 7, 2011 (the day Power Rangers: Samurai premiered), PRLG:TROT would end up being shut down and Paramount ended up refunding the production's budget to Saban and Saban will make PRS more richer for its promotion, making Power Rangers LG: The Rise of Trakeena obsolete entirely and Marsh will have to face more stressful issues after the film's somewhat-to-be termination, making him outnumbered. Filming ended in mid-March 2011, immediately due to Marsh exposing the film's presence at the GHS Girls Basketball Championship pep rally ceremony, when Marsh on the track with the camera (when he wasn't allowed) on purpose and had a meltdown with a staff member in his school for the incident and Marsh shut the movie down conquently and the promotion for the film was also shut down.

After filming on the original footage Power Rangers LG was scrapped, and graduated from High School, he currently stores the puppets in various shoe boxes located at his home basement, in order to prevent his father from throwing all of them in the recycle can (for paper and cardboard) outside his backyard also in order to save them for future sequels.

Themes
Trakeena's theme is insanity. Unlike in the TV series with her brutal hatred against the Rangers for destroying her father Scorpius, the film portrayed Trakeena much likely different than she has been on Power Rangers, as Marsh wanted her to express her lost thoughts and feelings of compassion to others rather than of who worships her (such as Deviot and Villamax) within the story. She continues to be evil (like she always was), but never wanted to turn good. When she sees the new Red Galaxy Ranger (Tony Marshall), her mind is frizzled and is off track and expresses some of her lost feelings for love. In the script, it was noted that she keeps comparing Tony to the original Red Galaxy Ranger Leo Corbett, as Tony keeps convincing her that he is not him. He may look like him but he is not actually Leo. The number one theme and description for Trakeena that fits her insanity is "obsession". This theme is used when Trakeena becomes completely infatuated with Tony, as she tries to get his attention and brainwash him to join her master race of insectoids.

Trakeena
While still in Development Hell, Marsh had a very long list of actresses considered for Trakeena for his Power Rangers Lost Galaxy film. The actresses (and some other female celebrities of other genres) involved included Wendie Malick  (Marsh's first and original choice for the role, but turned it down), Teri Hatcher, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Jennfier Bini-Taylor, Emma Stone, Joely Fisher, Sienna Miller, Jenny McCarthy, Angelina Jolie,  Milla Jovovich, Jennifer Esposito, Tricia Helfer, Jami Gertz, Rita Wilson, Gina Gershon,  Elizabeth Banks , Mo Collins, Eva Mendes, Juilette Lewis, Robin Givens, Arielle Vandenberg, Bryce Dallas Howard, Courtney Cox, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Stephnie Weir, Mila Kunis, Ali Larter, Susan Lucci, Vanessa Marcil, and some others to name a few. Kate Sheldon (who played  Nadira  in  Power Rangers: Time Force ) would like to play Trakeena in the film but she turned it down.