The trailer for the upcoming 30th anniversary special Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always (2023) landed just last week, and to no surprise whatsoever, there's already some controversy!
The brand-new special will unite legacy Power Rangers actors David Yost, Walter Jones, Catherine Sutherland, Steve Cardenas, Karan Ashley, and Johnny Yong Bosch, who are reprising their roles as Power Rangers Billy Cranston, Zack Taylor, Jason Scott, Katherine Hillard, Rocky DeSantos, Aisha Campbell, and Adam Park, respectively, and Barbara Goodson and Richard Horvits, who are back as Rita Repulsa/Robo Rita, and Alpha 5.
Designed as a 30th anniversary of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993), the widely popular television series from the early '90s, the 55-minute-long film will debut on Netflix in just a few weeks' time. But while the trailer has left the majority of diehard fans impressed, naturally, there are some who are disappointed, largely because there are a number of Power Rangers actors missing from the still-impressive line up.
But before we dive in, check out the brand-new trailer for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always below, and see for yourself which obvious three are missing from the upcoming film:
As you can see, the film does not feature Austin St. John as Red Ranger Jason Scott, Jason David Frank as Green/White Ranger Tommy Oliver, and Amy Jo Johnson as Pink Ranger Kimberly Hart. While we don't really know why Austin St. John isn't involved, there are reasons why the other two actors don't appear in the film, and in the case of Jason David Frank, it has nothing to do with the fact he tragically passed away late last year, as filming took place beforehand.
Now, Amy Jo Johnson, who was close friends with Frank, has taken to Twitter to clap back at those speculating that she doesn't appear in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always due to an issue with pay. In her tweet, she explains that her reason for not reprising her role as the Pink Ranger has nothing to do with money, and she also takes the opportunity to kindly explain why Jason David Frank isn't in the film.
In her tweet, Johnson says the following:
"Please stop saying I didn't do reunion because of money. Simply not true. Maybe I just didn't want to wear spandex in my 50s or couldn't go to NZ for a month. Or none of ur beeswax. JDF & I both chose not to for our own reasons. They filmed before he passed."
This isn't the first tweet the actress has shared regarding her absence from the upcoming film. Last year, she took to the social media platform to say, "For the record I never said no... I just didn't say yes to what was offered. But other fun stuff is in store! Looking forward to watching my friends kick ass!"
Johnson remains a beloved part of Power Rangers, as does the late Jason David Frank. Following the death of the actor last year, Johnson shared a gut-wrenchingly emotional video on YouTube expressing her deep sorrow for the passing of her friend.
Related: Power Rangers Actor Jason David Frank Dies At 49
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always stars David Yost, Walter Jones, Catherine Sutherland, Steve Cardenas, Karan Ashley, and Johnny Yong Bosch, who are reprising their roles as Power Rangers Billy Cranston, Zack Taylor, Jason Scott, Katherine Hillard, Rocky DeSantos, Aisha Campbell, and Adam Park, respectively, and Barbara Goodson and Richard Horvits, who are back as Rita Repulsa/Robo Rita, and Alpha 5.
Once and Always premiers on Netflix on April 19, 2023.
As per Netflix, here's the official synopsis: "After tragedy strikes, an unlikely young hero takes her rightful place among the Power Rangers to face off against the team's oldest archnemesis."
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