Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz, the showrunners behind Percy Jackson and the Olympians, are currently in discussions to write, showrun, and produce a live-action Power Rangers series for Disney+ and 20th Century TV, according to a report from TheWrap.
Hasbro will be producing the series, which aims to reinvent the Power Rangers franchise for a new generation of fans while also appealing to longtime enthusiasts of the iconic universe.
In 2017, Lionsgate and Saban Films attempted to reboot the Power Rangers franchise with a darker, young adult-oriented adaptation (which kind of sucked). However, the film grossed only $142 million against a budget of approximately $100 million, leading to the abandonment of plans for a larger franchise. In 2018, Hasbro acquired Power Rangers in a strategic deal aimed at maximizing the franchise’s full potential across its various divisions.
The development of the new Power Rangers series is part of Hasbro Entertainment’s broader initiative to enhance storytelling and expand its portfolio of series based on Hasbro’s most well-known brands. The company is collaborating with top industry talent, studios, and distribution platforms to bring these projects to life.
Now the real question is- why is Hasbro taking the Power Rangers to Disney+?
The details of how a deal came to in place to get the Power Rangers over to Disney+ are a little confusing since Disney hasn’t had any stake in the franchise for over a decade. Initially, some years ago, Disney did come to own a portion of the Power Rangers over the years for a little while but now they do not. So, maybe we should probably break that down a little.
So Who Owns Power Rangers?
Disney acquired Power Rangers in 2001 as part of a larger deal when they purchased Fox Family Worldwide (later rebranded as ABC Family, now Freeform). Later, in 2010, Disney sold the rights back to Saban who then later still sold it to Hasbro in 2018.
- Power Rangers was originally created by Saban Entertainment in 1993.
- In the late 1990s, Saban and Fox Kids Worldwide (which co-owned Power Rangers) partnered with News Corporation (Fox’s parent company).
- In 2001, Disney bought Fox Family Worldwide (which included Fox Kids and Power Rangers) for $3.2 billion from Haim Saban and Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.
- This gave Disney full ownership of Power Rangers and other Fox Kids properties.
Disney’s Time with Power Rangers (2001–2010)
- Disney moved Power Rangers production from the U.S. to New Zealand to cut costs.
- They continued making seasons like Ninja Storm, Dino Thunder, SPD, Mystic Force, Operation Overdrive, Jungle Fury, and RPM.
- However, Disney wasn’t very invested in the franchise and even considered canceling it.
- By 2010, Disney sold Power Rangers back to Haim Saban, who revived the franchise under Saban Brands before it was later sold to Hasbro in 2018.
What About Film Rights?
- The Power Rangers film rights were never owned by 20th Century Fox after Disney sold the franchise in 2010.
- The 1995 movie (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie) was distributed by 20th Century Fox, but Saban Entertainment retained ownership of the Power Rangers IP.
- The 1997 sequel (Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie) was also distributed by Fox but still under Saban’s control.
- Hasbro acquired Power Rangers in 2018 and is working with Netflix on future projects.
- Lionsgate released the 2017 Power Rangers movie, but those rights reverted when Hasbro took over.
So in short, Disney got Power Rangers through a massive buyout of Fox Family Worldwide but never fully prioritized it, leading to Saban reclaiming it nearly a decade later. Now, in 2025, Hasbro owns all Power Rangers rights, including film and TV. And, while some believed the Power Rangers film rights were owned by 20th Century Fox, leading to Disney owning Power Rangers in film, that was never the case during the Disney buyout of 20th Century Fox.
