Summary

• Power Rangers (2017) teased Tommy Oliver's introduction in a sequel that never happened.
• The 2017 movie's post-credits scene hinted at a Green Ranger appearance, setting up a potential future story.
• Power Rangers 2 would have reinvented the original Green Ranger's story considering Rita was the previous Green Ranger in this universe.

Power Rangers chronology, the next major saga to be adapted would have been“Green With Evil.”

The Power Rangers reboot only grossed $142,5 million on a $100 million budget, killing any chances of a sequel. Seven years later, it is safe to say Power Rangers 2 won’t happen, and that any new film in the franchise will not be tied to the 2017 reboot. Despite its poor box office performance, Power Rangers (2017) is widely regarded as an inspiring reinterpretation of the Mighty Morphin show, honoring the original characters while also making them more complex. Imagining what Power Rangers 2 would have looked like is bittersweet, even more so when considering its potential Green Ranger introduction.

Power Rangers (2017)’s Ending Included A Green Ranger Tease

“Tommy Oliver” was referenced in Power Rangers’ post-credits scene

Power Rangers (2017)’s post-credits scene revisited the school’s detention, which is where the story of the Breakfast Club-inspired movie began. The teacher taking care of the students calls for “Tommy Oliver,” who was missing from detention and never appears on the scene. However, Tommy’s jacket is shown, and it is a green one. Between the Tommy Oliver namedrop and the green jacket, the Power Rangers movie made it clear that the Green Ranger would appear in an eventual sequel. Unfortunately, Power Rangers 2 never happened, meaning the Tommy Oliver tease was never paid off.

There was no better possible sequel hook for a Power Rangers movie than a Tommy Oliver tease. Tommy’s introduction changed Mighty Morphin Power Rangers forever, introducing the show’s first evil Ranger and delivering one of the coolest Tokusatsu villains in the history of TV. From action figures to T-shirts, the Green Ranger became one of the faces of the franchise and would inspire other Power Rangers storylines for years to come. Tommy Oliver’s Power Rangers story goes way beyond his Green Ranger run, but the importance of Mighty Morphin’s Evil Ranger cannot be denied.

The fact that Power Rangers (2017) didn't receive a sequel is disappointing by itself, and it becomes even worse considering that Power Rangers 2 would have certainly introduced Tommy Oliver.

Even those who are not familiar with all Power Rangers seasons will likely recognize the Green Ranger, whose unique iconography includes the Dragon Shield, the Dragon Flute, and the Dragonzord. Therefore, it was easy to predict that the Power Rangers movie reboot would capitalize on the possible introduction of Tommy in a sequel, similar to how other superhero movies will tease a major villain or ally in a post-credits scene. Tommy Oliver would likely have been front and center in Power Rangers 2’s story, which could have adapted “Green With Evil” for the big screen.

How Power Rangers 2’s Green Ranger Story Would’ve Been Different From Mighty Morphin

Rita Repulsa’s backstory would have changed Tommy’s Green Ranger role

No Power Rangers 2 ideas or story details were ever revealed, which makes sense given that a sequel was never officially greenlighted. Still, considering that the plan was for Power Rangers to kickstart a cinematic franchise based on the Mighty Morphin characters, it would only be natural for Power Rangers 2 to adapt the Green Ranger story. Even though the original five Rangers are iconic, Tommy’s first appearance does not take too long to happen in the original show – the Green Ranger is introduced in episode 17. Interestingly, Tommy was already living in Angel Grove based on the post-credits scene.

In Mighty Morphin, Rita Repuls kidnaps Tommy, who had just moved to Angel Grove, and gives him a corrupted Power Coin. The Power Rangers show never explained why Rita had access to a Power Coin that worked just like the ones used by the Power Rangers, much less how she could create an evil Ranger out of it. BOOM! Studios Power Rangers comics did address this issue, yet they are not necessarily canon to the TV show. Regardless, Rita Repulsa was the original Green Ranger in the 2017 movie canon, as revealed by the film’s prologue.

The Power Rangers Sequel Could’ve Reinvented The Original Green Ranger

The Power Rangers TV show never topped the original Green Ranger story

Rita Repulsa being the first Green Ranger of a team that also included Zordon as the original Red Ranger would have added a genius spin to Tommy Oliver’s story. Rita would have a much more personal connection to Tommy, not to mention how the creation of the Green Ranger would make a bit more sense compared to what the TV show did. While Power Rangers (2017) had problems, especially regarding the lack of action sequences and the divisive costumes, the movie’s lore changes were all very creative and could have led to an amazing alternate Power Rangers universe.

Power Rangers (2017)’s opening sequence is actually the first and so far only appearance of the Mighty Morphin Green Ranger in a theatrical movie. Tommy was already the White Ranger in the 1995 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, whereas the Turbo film saw him as the Red Ranger. The late Jason David Frank did have a cameo in the 2017 reboot but as an unnamed citizen of Angel Grove and not Tommy Oliver. This new Tommy would’ve been Rita’s successor as the Green Ranger, adding another layer to what was already a great dynamic in the original series.

Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie is the only TV-canon theatrical Power Rangers film.

Power Rangers 2’s Green Ranger Makes The Canceled Sequel Even Sadder

“Green With Evil” could’ve made for a great movie

The fact that Power Rangers (2017) didn't receive a sequel is disappointing by itself, and it becomes even worse considering that Power Rangers 2 would have certainly introduced Tommy Oliver. The story of an evil Power Ranger who easily defeats the main heroes but is later saved by them is incredibly cinematic, and it led to five of the best Mighty Morphin Power Rangers episodes. The BOOM! Comics have also made the most of Tommy’s story, leading to arcs like Shattered Grid and characters like Lord Drakkon. These are all elements that Power Rangers 2 could have explored.

Recasting Tommy Oliver would not have been easy, but seeing a new actor bring something different to such an iconic character would have been exciting. The design of the Green Ranger suit would also have been fascinating, to say the least, as it would likely have mirrored Rita Repulsa’s original suit but with the addition of the Dragon Shield. Lastly, a reimagined Dragonzord could have made for one of the coolest Kaiju in movie history if done right. Power Rangers’ TV future is promising, but a theatrical movie sequel would have brought something different to the saga.

Watch Power Rangers (2017) on Netflix