'Project Almanac' Director Dean Israelite in Talks to Helm 'Power Rangers' Reboot Movie

Dean Israelite, best known for his work on the found-footage science fiction thriller Project Almanac movie, is in negotiations to direct the Power Rangers reboot for Lionsgate and Saban Brands, according to The Wrap.

Lionsgate and Saban have previously announced that the live-action Power Rangers movie remake will be released for theater showing on July 22, 2016. According to the studio's official statement, the upcoming film will be "a modern reinvention of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, a group of ordinary high school kids who find themselves infused with extraterrestrial powers and must harness those powers as a team to save the world." Penning the script for the Power Rangers movie reboot are Zack Stentz and Ashley Miller, the same writing duo who wrote the screenplay for the blockbuster Thor and X-Men: First Class movies. Haim Saban of Saban Entertainment is producing along with Brian Casentini and Allison Shearmur.

At this point, the Power Rangers movie's cast have yet to be named. However, Jason David Frank, who has been portraying Tommy Oliver, the Green Ranger, since 1993, says that he most likely will be involved in the upcoming Power Rangers remake. In an interview with Comic Book, the actor and professional mixed martial arts fighter said: "I probably will be involved. They talked to me about it. I don't know how much I am involved. But for sure, cameos at least in the reboot movie."

The Power Rangers 2016 reboot movie joins the 1995 "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie" and the 1997 "Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie" in the Power Rangers movie list. The original TV series from which these films have been adapted, have in turn been based from the long-running Japanese "Super Sentai" TV series. The TV show which has been running successfully since 1993 has spawned a franchise which now includes DVD collections, video games, comic books, toys, apparel, and other merchandise.