Disney+ has scrapped its plans for a live-action Power Rangers show. The project, a collaboration with Hasbro and 20th Century TV, was halted in March 2025 due to financial and business hurdles.
The March 2025 shelving of Steinberg and Shotz's vision
Disney+ officially ended the development of its live-action Power Rangers series in March 2025. according to the report, showrunners Jonathan E. steinberg and Dan Shotz—recognized for their work on Percy Jackson and the Olympians—were tasked with updating the franchise created by Haim Saban and Shuki Levy for modern audiences. The project was envisioned as a partnership between Disney+, 20th Century TV, and Hasbro.
The goal was to blend the nostalgia of the original series with a contemporary vision. However, despite the pedigree of the creative team and initial enthusiasm, the project never moved past the development phase. The decision to shelve the series was a strategic move by Disney+ to mitigate financial risk.
How Hasbro's ownership created a financial deadlock for Disney+
The collapse of the project was driven by fiscal constraints rather than creative clashes. As the report says, the high cost of action-heavy production combined with a complex rights structure made the project untenable. Because Hasbro retains the intellectual property rights, Disney+ had to navigate a difficult approval process with Hasbro's board and stakeholders , which ultimately made the investment too risky for the streaming giant.
Developing a superhero property requires substantial capital for visual effects and marketing. For Disney+, the lack of direct ownership of the Power Rangers IP meant that the potential return on investment did not justify the overhead , especially when compared to the streamlined production of their own internal franchises.
A recurring pattern from the failed Netflix partnership with Jenny Klein
This failure is not an isolated incident but part of a broader trend of unsuccessful Power Rangers revivals. Before the Disney+ attempt, Hasbro had explored a similar live-action venture with Netflix, involving showrunners Jenny Klein and Jonathan Entwistle. That effort also fell through, leaving the franchise without a stable home for a new live-action entry.
This pattern suggests that the franchise's high production requirements often clash with the risk-aversion of modern streaming platforms.. While Disney+ has found massive success with internal IPs like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars, external properties like Power Rangers lack the same integrated financial incentive . The struggle to launch a Power Rangers series reflects a wider industry shift where streamers prefer owning their content entirely rather than licensing expensive,high-maintenance legacies.
Whether any other streamer can solve the Power Rangers budget puzzle
The current dormancy of the franchise leaves several questions regarding its future. It remains unclear if Hasbro will seek a new partner or attempt to self-finance a reboot to avoid the "business and budgetary considerations" that killed the Disney+ deal. Furthermore, the report does not specify if any remaining scripts or conceptual work from Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz will be salvaged for a different platform, or if the project is completely dead.
Until a partner emerges with a financial strategy that aligns with the high cost of live-action superhero production, the Power Rangers brand will likely remain in a state of limbo. The industry is watching to see if Hasbro can find a middle ground between creative ambition and fiscal feasibility.
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