News
Power Rangers Re-Acquired by Saban for TV Run on Nick
posted on by Egan Loo
The media company Saban has re-acquired the rights to the live-action special-effects franchise Power Rangers from Walt Disney Company, and a new season will run on the Nickelodeon channel in the United States in the first quarter of 2011. Power Rangers is loosely adapted from Toei's 35-year-long Super Sentai Series franchise of costumed heroes. The Saban Capital Group had established a new US$500-million company called Saban Brands, which is developing the 18th Power Rangers season as part of a multi-year deal with Nickelodeon. The Nicktoons digital channel spinoff will also show reruns of previous seasons.
A new season was created nearly every year between 1993's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and last year's Power Rangers: RPM, which ran on Disney's ABC. Disney had purchased the franchise in 2001, but decided not to place it underneath the Disney brand umbrella after focus group research showed that mothers disliked the violence. Disney has been shopping for a new owner for the franchise for more than a year.
Thanks to dynasore for the news tip.
Source: The New York Times
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