Next year, the Power Rangers are heading back to the big screen with a complete reboot of the classic TV series. And while we’re digging the crazy redesigns, it could have been a very different movie. Screenwriter Max Landis apparently made a pitch for the movie in 2013, and now we know that his version of the Power Rangers‘ nemesis, Rita Repulsa would have looked like she stepped out of a Jim Henson nightmare.
Via io9, artist Matt Frank posted his concept sketch of Landis’ Rita Repulsa. As explained on his Facebook page, Frank was approached by Landis to provide some artwork for his pitch, but he only had time to work on this Rita sketch.
The most striking thing about this image is that this Rita has finally lived up to her last name. The Rita from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was more of a comic relief villain than a truly terrifying archenemy. Here, Rita not only looks like an alien, she’s actually intimidating. It’s also a nice touch that Frank’s Rita essentially kept all of the major elements from Rita’s original incarnation, including her staff, her robe, and most of her bizarre headdress. While we like what we’ve seen of Elizabeth Banks‘ more hands-on style of villainy as Rita in the trailers, we think that this is the version of Rita we should have had in the new movie. It also makes us very curious to know more about Landis’ take on the franchise.
Given that Frank is also a comic book artist and Landis is a big fan of the medium, we’d love to see Boom! Studios put together a miniseries based on Landis’ version of the Power Rangers movie. Boom! has done that before for RoboCop, and the upcoming Dark Crystal sequel comic, so it seems like that would be a good fit for everyone involved.
What do you think about Landis and Frank’s Rita Repulsa? After ten thousand years, you’re free to leave a comment below!
Image: Matt Frank
