Get Ready To Super–Charge Yourself With The Series That Started A Global Pop Culture Phenomenon: “Power Rangers”

PRESS RELEASE
Production Now Underway for Several Multi–Disc Box Set Collections to Be Made Available Directly to Fans Through Time Life

LOS ANGLES—Following its debut in 1993, Saban’s iconic live–action pop culture series, Power Rangers quickly became the most watched children’s television program in North America. Emphasizing the importance of teamwork, responsibility and helping others by following the adventures of a group of ordinary young people who “morphed” into superheroes, this long–running series has been seen in more than 60 countries, translated into numerous languages, and remains a mainstay in children’s programming blocks. For 19 years, the highly entertaining saga and fan favorite characters from Power Rangers have captivated children and adults alike, and are beloved by legions of fans worldwide.

Now you can return to where the phenomenon began and re–live these thrill–packed adventures when Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Saban Brands, unleashes a cornucopia of home entertainment offerings, many of which have never been released on DVD, from the original series Power Rangers. Through unprecedented access to Saban Brands’ vast archive of content, many of these DVD collections produced by Shout! Factory boast extensive bonus materials and collectible packaging, making them must–haves for loyal fans and collectors.

The first multi–disc set to be released will be the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Season One, Volume One 3–DVD set, which will arrive in stores and will be available through select digital entertainment platforms on August 21, 2012. Marking the DVD debut of the original Power Rangers series, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Season One, Volume One features the first 30 original episodes from the first season and delivers over 10 hours of high–energy, family friendly entertainment. Poised to attract a new audience of kids as well as young adults who grew up with this popular series, this 3–DVD set is priced to own at a suggested retail price of $19.93. Pre–order is now available at Amazon.com and ShoutFactory.com.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Season One, Volume Two 3–DVD set is slated to arrive on store shelves Fall 2012. Featuring the subsequent 30 original episodes, this DVD set continues more action–packed adventures of five teens, who quickly learn the full impact and awesome responsibility of their new powers and weapons. The evil villain, Rita Repulsa and her henchmen prove to be very worthy adversaries for the young super heroes, and they are challenged at every turn.

In an effort to provide avid collectors with an exclusive first–to–own experience, fans will have the first opportunity to collect upcoming box sets through a Time Life direct–response television and online campaign. Shout! Factory has teamed up with Time Life to make Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season One 6–DVD set and the 40–DVD collection of Power Rangers: Seasons One — Seven directly available to fans starting July 30, 2012 through Time Life’s direct–response on–air TV campaign, as well as online.

The Power Rangers: Seasons One — Seven 40–DVD collection will include: All 145 original episodes from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Seasons One, Two and Three, plus the ten-episode series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Alien Rangers. It then continues on with Power Rangers: Seasons Four — Seven, featuring all of the original 183 episodes spanning the seasons entitled Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers Turbo, Power Rangers In Space and Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. In–depth bonus content includes: a retrospective featurette on the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers phenomenon, brand–new interviews with members of the cast and the creative team, and much more!

As excitement builds for these anticipated home entertainment releases, Shout! Factory, Saban Brands, and Time Life will announce additional news and activities for fans in the upcoming months. Meanwhile, fans will have the opportunity to learn more about upcoming collections by following us on Facebook and Twitter (@shoutfactory). Join the excitement and relive the action on DVDs!

About Saban Brands

Formed in 2010 as a subsidiary of Saban Capital Group, Saban Brands (SB) was established to acquire and develop a world–class portfolio of properties and capitalize on the company’s experience, track record and capabilities in growing and monetizing consumer brands. SB applies a strategic transmedia management approach to enhancing and extending its brands in markets worldwide and to consumers of all ages. The company provides full–service management, marketing, promotion and strategic business development for its intellectual properties including comprehensive strategies unique to each brand, trademark and copyright management and enforcement, creative design, retail development, direct–to–consumer initiatives and specialized property extensions. SB is led by a superior management team with decades of experience in media, content creation, branding, licensing, marketing and finance. For more information, visit www.sabanbrands.com.

About Shout! Factory

Shout! Factory is a diversified entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their careers sharing their music, television and film faves with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD offerings serve up classic, contemporary and cult TV series, riveting sports programs, live music, animation and documentaries in lavish packages crammed with extras. The company’s audio catalogue boasts GRAMMY–nominated box sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable “best of” compilations. These riches are the result of a creative acquisitions mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. Shout! Factory is based in Los Angeles, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com.

“Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers” – “Power Rangers Lost Galaxy” DVD Box Set, Release Date, More Confirmed

Article By: Alex J. Rosolowsky
NEWS

Earlier this year we reported that Shout! Factory would be bringing the first 17 seasons of Power Rangers to DVD, and we can now update that report with the details that our readers have been searching for. Amazon.com jumped the gun a little bit and “pre–announced” Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers – Season 1, Volume 1, which consists of three ten–episode discs, and carries an SRP of $19.93. (Fans will quickly recognize that the SRP is a nod to the year that the show premiered.) This set, which will be released on August 21st, can be preordered from Amazon.com for $13.95—30% off of the SRP—using this link. (The Power Rangers Samurai Times does not financially benefit from the use of the aforementioned link, nor does its owner.)

The more significant news however comes from TVShowsonDVD. For starters, Volume Two of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Season 1 will follow in the fall. However, the more impressive announcement is that of The Power Rangers: Seasons One–Seven, which is, as it’s name implies, a seven season box set consisting of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers – Seasons 1–3, Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers Turbo, Power Rangers in Space, and Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. In addition to 328 episodes, this 40–disc collection will contain a good deal of bonus material, including “a retrospective featurette on the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers phenomenon,” and “brand–new interviews with members of the cast and the creative team.” The Power Rangers: Seasons One–Seven will be available on July 30th; the set will be released by Shout! Factory in co–operation with Time Life. No SRP for this set is available at this time. As always, The Power Rangers Samurai Times will continue to follow this story as it continues to evolve.

More Slices of “Samurai” News

 

Article By: Alex J. Rosolowsky
NEWS

Rangerboard reports that Hector David Jr. who portrays “Mike” on Power Rangers Samurai is involved in a new Sci–Fi/Action film. According to Hector David Jr.’s own Twitter feed, the film is known as Shadow War.

Last month we noted that Alex (“Jayden”) Heartman had stated that he would be involved in a Temper Trap music video. The production of the video is now complete and can be seen here.

Finally, Power Rangers Super Samurai will be making its way to comic book format via publisher NMB’s Papercutz division. The comics will feature new stories for the Samurai Rangers, and the first volume entitled “Memory Short” will be available on June 27th marking the first Power Rangers comic to be released in the states in over a decade. The 50 page graphic novel will be released in both hardcover and softcover formats simultaneously.

Slices of “Samurai” News

Article By: Alex J. Rosolowsky
NEWS

In addition to the rather significant news that Power Rangers of all forms would be coming to Region–1 DVDs this year, several smaller pieces of “Samurai” related news also surfaced this week. These smaller stories aren’t really suitable for individual articles, but they’re perfect for a general all–encompassing article that we here at The Power Rangers Samurai Times like to refer to as “news slices” in keeping with our Samurai theme.

Our first news slice is actually an update to the announcement that Power Rangers Samurai would be coming to DVD this summer. According to TVShowsonDVD, Lionsgate Entertainment has officially confirmed that each DVD will contain a total of four episodes, as well as a slew of extras including “auditions, behind–the–scenes training, character and weapons galleries, bloopers, and more.” Furthermore, each disc will come with a foil O–ring slip cover around the packaging. Amazon.com has added both DVDs to their website; you can preorder Volume One: The Team Unites, and Volume Two: A New Enemy using the links provided. (The Power Rangers Samurai Times does not benefit financially from the use of these links.)

News slice number two comes in the form of an announcement that an extended remix of the Power Rangers Samurai theme song has been released via various digital distribution platforms. At present, the EP is currently available through Amazon, iTunes, and the Zune Marketplace. (As with the original Power Rangers Samurai EP, the author of this article highly recommends the iTunes version of the newly released EP.)

Next up, we have a news slice pertaining to Alex Heartman, the actor who portrays Jayden on Power Rangers Samurai. Rangerboard’s NightMere10 reports that Mr. Heartman will be making an appearance in an upcoming Temper Trap music video. A photo from this event can be seen here.

Finally, our last news slice was actually buried in the Lionsgate press release for the Power Rangers Samurai DVDs. Two additional unnamed specials have been produced for Power Rangers Super Samurai, hopefully putting an end to the discrepancy in the episode total once and for all. Power Rangers Samurai consisted of 22 episodes total; likewise Power Rangers Super Samurai will also consist of 22 episodes total for a grand total of 44 episodes. Clash of the Red Rangers: The Movie is not counted as an episode of Power Rangers Samurai or Power Rangers Super Samurai, but rather it is counted as a movie special. Major credit should go to Rangerboard‘s Fury Diamond for clearing this up for everyone, as well as for reporting on this bit of information before it made its way into the aforementioned press release.

Lionsgate “Powers Up” with Distribution to Saban’s “Power Rangers Samurai”

PRESS RELEASE
Multi-Year Agreement Enables Lionsgate to Distribute DVD, Blu-ray and Multiple Digital Platforms for the Newly Produced Saban’s Power Rangers Samurai and Super Samurai

SANTA MONICA—(PRNEWSWIRE)—Lionsgate, a leading diversified global entertainment company, has added some serious muscle – along with high–octane action and martial arts – to its family home entertainment division. In a licensing agreement with Saban Brands, the studio announced today that it has acquired the North American home entertainment distribution rights to the number one rated kids action series Saban’s Power Rangers Samurai, the newest chapter in the long–running, popular entertainment franchise. The deal was announced by Lionsgate Executive Vice President of Marketing and Family Entertainment Anne Parducci and Saban Brands President Elie Dekel.

Under the multi–year agreement, Lionsgate obtains all DVD and Blu–ray rights, as well as multiple digital rights for the newly revamped Power Rangers television series, Saban’s Power Rangers Samurai and Saban’s Power Rangers Super Samurai. Both shows currently air on Nickelodeon with Saban’s Power Rangers Super Samurai premiering last month. The studio also acquired the distribution rights to two Power Rangers Christmas and Halloween specials, and a Power Rangers Movie special. The first releases in the deal, Power Rangers Samurai: The Team Unites and Power Rangers Samurai: A New Enemy, arrive on DVD and Digital Download for the first time on June 19th.

“For nearly 20 years, the Power Rangers have been synonymous with teamwork, friendship, fitness and fun. Saban’s Power Rangers Samurai television series has continued that tradition by providing a humorous action–adventure that kids love with positive messages that parents value,” said Parducci. “The success of the Nickelodeon television series proves that ‘Samurai’ has attracted the attention of the millions of people who grew up on the Power Rangers, those who are now parents, and most importantly, a new generation of kids growing up today.”

“Now Power Rangers fans everywhere will have the opportunity to watch the Samurai Rangers save the world from evil wherever they want,” said Dekel. “Our agreement with Lionsgate not only provides great ways to watch content that fans may have seen on television, but it will also provide new and exciting additions to the series that fans are sure to love.”

The deal with Saban Brands continues to build on Lionsgate’s tremendous success distributing product from some of the most prominent family brands in the marketplace. Currently the industry’s 2nd largest distributor of children’s non–theatrical titles, Lionsgate releases to DVD a virtual who’s–who in family entertainment brands, including HIT’s Thomas & Friends, Barney, Angelina Ballerina and other titles from their vast library, MGA’s Lalaloopsy and Bratz, LeapFrog, Scholastic’s Clifford the Big Red Dog and American Greetings’ The Care Bears.

About Saban’s Power Rangers Samurai

Power Rangers Samurai is the all–new, half–hour series that features a new cast of Rangers and never–before–seen villains, as well as high–octane action, martial arts and advanced special effects. New episodes premiere Saturdays at noon (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon. Currently in its 19th season, Power Rangers Samurai is helmed by Haim Saban, who created and produced the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series in 1993. Following its introduction, Power Rangers quickly became the most–watched children’s television program in the United States. Emphasizing the importance of teamwork, responsibility and helping others by following the adventures of a group of ordinary young people who “morphed” into superheroes, the series was seen in more than 60 countries, translated into numerous languages, and was a mainstay in the most prominent international children’s programming blocks. Power Rangers LLC, which licenses and merchandises the Power Rangers brand, is an affiliate of Saban Brands. For more information, visit www.powerrangers.com.

About Saban Brands

Formed in 2010 as a subsidiary of Saban Capital Group, Saban Brands (SB) was established to acquire and develop a world–class portfolio of properties and capitalize on the company’s experience, track record and capabilities in growing and monetizing consumer brands. SB applies a strategic transmedia management approach to enhancing and extending its brands in markets worldwide and to consumers of all ages. The company provides full–service management, marketing, promotion and strategic business development for its intellectual properties including comprehensive strategies unique to each brand, trademark and copyright management and enforcement, creative design, retail development, direct–to–consumer initiatives and specialized property extensions. SB is led by a superior management team with decades of experience in licensing, marketing and finance. For more information, visit www.sabanbrands.com.

About Lionsgate

Lionsgate is a leading global entertainment company with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, family entertainment, digital distribution, new channel platforms and international distribution and sales. The Company has built a strong television presence in production of prime time cable and broadcast network series, distribution and syndication of programming and an array of channel assets. Lionsgate currently has 15 shows on more than 10 networks spanning its prime time production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such critically–acclaimed hits as the multiple Emmy Award-winning Mad Men, Weeds and Nurse Jackie, the Golden Globe–winning drama Boss and the syndication successes Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne, its spinoff Meet The Browns, The Wendy Williams Show and Are We There Yet?

Its feature film business has been fueled by such recent successes as The Lincoln Lawyer, Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family, The Expendables, Margin Call, The Last Exorcism and the critically–acclaimed Precious, which won two Academy Awards. With the January 2012 acquisition of Summit Entertainment, the Company now has the two leading young adult franchises — the blockbuster Twilight Saga, which has grossed more than $2.5 billion at the worldwide box office, and the Hunger Games franchise, whose first film will be released on March 23. Recent Summit hits include Red, Letters to Juliet, Knowing, the Step Up franchise and the Academy Award winning Best Picture The Hurt Locker.

Lionsgate’s home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office–to–DVD and box office–to–VOD revenue conversion rate. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 13,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as the foundation for the growth of the Company’s core businesses. The Lionsgate and Summit brands remain synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.

Lionsgate to Bring “Power Rangers Samurai” to Region–1 DVD

Article By: Alex J. Rosolowsky
NEWS

Hot on the heels of the announcement that Shout! Factory would be bringing Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers — Power Rangers RPM to DVD, comes today’s announcement that Lionsgate Entertainment will be handling the DVD releases of Power Rangers Samurai, and presumably Power Rangers Super Samurai. According to TVShowsonDVD, Lionsgate will begin releasing individual DVD volumes of Power Rangers Samurai on June 19th. Each disc will be presented in its original widescreen aspect ratio, and will feature Dolby 5.1 digital audio as well as closed captioning; the DVDs will retail for $14.98 per Volume.

Last year, Village Roadshow began to release Power Rangers Samurai on DVD in Australia. At the time, both Saban Brands and Village Roadshow remained curiously silent regarding a Region–1 release for the United States and Canada, leading fans to speculate that a different company may have picked up the North American DVD distribution rights. Lionsgate’s announcement makes it rather clear that this is indeed the case, and that Power Rangers Samurai is not only being handled differently than its predecessors in terms of home media distribution, but that it’s being handled differently by region. Although the first volume of Power Rangers Samurai is entitled The Team Unites in both the United States and Australia, the Australian DVD release contains six episodes of the show, while the American DVD release will only contain approximately 92 minutes worth of footage, or about four episodes of the show. Furthermore, the American and Australian titles for volume two are significantly different from one another; in America, volume two will be known as A New Enemy, while in Australia, volume two is known as Room for One More.

At present, it is unknown whether or not Lionsgate will be releasing Blu–Ray discs to accompany the officially announced DVDs. Furthermore, no official announcements have been made regarding whether or not box sets of Power Rangers Samurai are in the works, nor have any official announcements been made regarding Region–2 DVD releases. For now, readers should head on over to TVShowsonDVD to get a glimpse of the cover art for Lionsgate’s first two volumes of Power Rangers Samurai.

Shout! Factory and Saban Brands Enter Strategic Home Entertainment Alliance

Source: TVShowsonDVD

PRESS RELEASE
Multi-Year Agreement Grants Shout! Factory Exclusive Distribution Rights to Renowned Live-Action Pop Culture Television Property Power Rangers

LOS ANGELES—Shout! Factory and Saban Brands announced a multi–year, multi–property alliance to bring Saban’s iconic live-action pop culture series, including Power Rangers, to the home entertainment marketplace in the United States and Canada. The announcement was made today by Shout! Factory’s founding partners Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos; and Elie Dekel, President of Saban Brands.

The multi–year alliance provides Shout! Factory with exclusive home entertainment packaged media (DVD/Blu–ray) and select digital rights to Saban Brands’ extensive catalog of properties including more than 700 episodes of Power Rangers (1993–2009), 92 episodes of VR Troopers, 26 episodes of Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation, and 88 episodes of Beetleborgs for home entertainment releases and digital distribution across select entertainment platforms in North America.

“We are incredibly excited about this new relationship with Saban Brands. Power Rangers continues to stand as a global pop culture phenomenon to this day. We look forward to bringing these highly entertaining series with great packaging and extras to fans and on family home entertainment shelves,” state Shout! Factory’s founding partners in a joint statement.

“Our partnership with Shout! Factory is important and exciting news for our fans. Shout! Factory will provide unequaled access to archived content from Saban Brands,” said Elie Dekel, President of Saban Brands.” Fans can enjoy past episodes they haven’t seen, relive some of the exciting entertainment in these episodes, or even share them with a new generation of fans.”

Shout! Factory plans an aggressive rollout of Saban Brands television properties beginning this summer 2012, including from individual programs as well as complete series. As excitement builds for these upcoming home entertainment product-lines, Shout! Factory and Saban Brands will announce additional news and activities in forthcoming months.

Following its introduction in 1993, Saban’s Power Rangers quickly became the most watched children’s television program in the United States. Emphasizing the importance of teamwork, responsibility and helping others by following the adventures of a group of ordinary young people who “morphed” into superheroes, the series was seen in more than 60 countries, translated into numerous languages, and was a mainstay in the most prominent international children’s programming blocks.

When VR Troopers premiered in 1994, it was the first children’s series to take viewers into a world of virtual reality. In this exciting action–packed live–action series, three seemingly ordinary teens face the challenge of saving the world from total domination by a powerful ruthless industrialist and his evil alter–ego. With the gift of “inter–reality travel” the teens utilize the power to transform into crime-fighting superheroes and enter the high–tech sphere of Virtual Reality. They employ their strengths, explosive martial arts skills and newfound superpowers to prevent the evil Grimlord and his mutant armies from escaping the virtual plane and entering the real world.

Memorable live–action adventure series Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation debuted in 1997 on popular kids network. The series continued the fun–filled saga of Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo, four genetically mutated turtles who have transformed into human sized, ninja–powered crime fighters living in the sewers of New York City. Soon the Ninja Turtles’ world that they have come to know and love will change. If you thought Shredder was bad, wait until you meet the newest NT foe—Dragon Skull! It will take all the power of our four reptile heroes to combat this new villain, including the help from a new ninja turtle named Venus De Milo!

Premiered in 1996, popular weekly kids series Beetleborgs follows the exciting adventures of three ordinary kids Drew, Jo and Roland as they enter the supposedly haunted mansion after accepting a dare. Their lives changed forever when a magical spirit grants them their biggest wish — they get to find out what life is like as their favorite super heroes the Beetleborgs!

About Saban Brands

Formed in 2010 as a subsidiary of Saban Capital Group, Saban Brands (SB) was established to acquire and develop a world–class portfolio of properties and capitalize on the company’s experience, track record and capabilities in growing and monetizing consumer brands. SB applies a strategic transmedia management approach to enhancing and extending its brands in markets worldwide and to consumers of all ages. The company provides full–service management, marketing, promotion and strategic business development for its intellectual properties including comprehensive strategies unique to each brand, trademark and copyright management and enforcement, creative design, retail development, direct–to–consumer initiatives and specialized property extensions. SB is led by a superior management team with decades of experience in licensing, marketing and finance. For more information, visit www.sabanbrands.com

About Shout! Factory

Shout! Factory is a diversified entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their careers sharing their music, television and film faves with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD offerings serve up classic, contemporary and cult TV series, riveting sports programs, live music, animation and documentaries in lavish packages crammed with extras. The company’s audio catalogue boasts GRAMMY–nominated box sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable “best of” compilations. These riches are the result of a creative acquisitions mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com