The Only Power Rangers Series That Were Owned By Disney

Disney is home to many cherished franchises, like Marvel and Star Wars, but some fans may not realize that at one point The House of Mouse also had the "Power Rangers." During that time, many new iterations of the team were released, containing some fascinating themes, casts, and villains. From Mighty Morphin Dinosaurs, to aliens, to traveling through time, the franchise has seen its fair share of facelifts since it started, but it's not just the outfits and Zords that have changed hands in the property's history. 

The ownership of "Power Rangers" started out with Saban Entertainment; however, in 2001, the Walt Disney Company took control of the franchise when they took over Fox Family Worldwide Inc. in a buyout. The company would go on to put out eight installments of "Power Rangers" entertainment until Saban bought the franchise back from Disney in 2010. Before returning to their original owners, Disney took the Rangers in some intriguing directions.

Disney's first outing is the tenth season of the franchise, "Power Rangers Wild Force." The "Wild Force" iteration of the "Power Rangers" saga focuses on a jungle animal theme, including tigers, panthers, birds, and other creatures. The team this time features Cole Evans (Ricardo Medina Jr.), Taylor Earhardt (Alyson Sullivan), Max Cooper (Phillip Jeanmarie), Danny Delgado (Jack Guzman), and Alyssa Enrile (Jessica Rey).

For 40 episodes, viewers watch them take on Master Org (Ilia Volok) with the help of this iteration's mentor, Princess Shayla (Ann Marie Crouch). The group sees a lot of action, eventually teaming up with the Time Force Power Rangers from the previous season. 

The first Disney iteration of "Power Rangers" also features the infamous "Forever Red" episode that sees the Red Wild Force Ranger team up with past Red Rangers. It's safe to say Disney's first foray into the world of "Power Rangers" packs a punch, and "Wild Force" is just the beginning.

In 2003, Disney unleashes "Power Rangers Ninja Storm". The installment consists of 38 entries and sees the team adapt to a ninja aesthetic for the eleventh season. That isn't the only thing that is different as the team gets a bit smaller.

Most iterations of the "Power Rangers" consist of five core members, but "Ninja Storm" sees the roster get cut down to three team members. Together they take on their sensei and mentor, Lothor (Grant McFarland), focusing their efforts on preventing him from completing his vile master plan of opening The Abyss of Evil. 

"Power Rangers Ninja Storm" also offers up a smorgasbord of epic Zords that show up during the run, like the Ninja Zords, Samurai Star Megazord, and Hurricane Ultrazord. From the giant robot fights to the stellar ninja action, viewers start to notice the new direction Disney is taking the popular franchise.

The original "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" each have their own prehistoric creature as a designation, and except for the Black Ranger's Mastodon and the Yellow Ranger's Saber Tooth Tiger, they are all dinosaurs. Eventually, those Zords and power coins are abandoned for new themes in subsequent iterations. It isn 't until the twelfth season that it brings dinosaurs back into the fold with "Power Rangers Dino Thunder" airing 38 episodes in 2004.

Jason David Frank reprises his role from previous installments of "Power Rangers," this time as Dr. Tommy Oliver, a paleontology professor who teams up with the titular group who locate the Dino Gems, turning them into the Dino Rangers. Kira Ford (Emma Lahana) turns into the Yellow Dino Ranger, Ethan James (Kevin Duhaney) becomes the Blue Dino Ranger, and Conner McKnight (James Napier Robertson) takes on the mantle of the Red Dino Ranger. Dr. Oliver also becomes the Black Dino Ranger and the first Ranger to also serve as a mentor. Together they thwart the efforts of Mesosog and his evil plan to return the planet to the age of dinosaurs.

Disney has been known to do wild stuff when it comes to sci-fi, and the thirteenth season of "Power Rangers" sees the franchise lean hard into the genre. "Power Rangers S.P.D." blazes on the scene in 2005. 

The narrative takes place over twenty years after the events of "Power Rangers Dino Thunder," where extraterrestrial life and humans live in harmony on Earth. The action kicks off when Space Patrol Delta A-Squad goes missing around the same time Emperor Gruumm (Rene Naufahu) wreaks havoc on the planet.

The B-Squad Rangers are called upon to defend Earth against the threat, commanded by an alien creature named Anubis "Doggie' Cruger. The team consists of Sky Tate (Chris Violette), Bridge Carson (Matt Sadowski), and Syd Drew (Aly Purrott-Armstrong). Former thieves Jack Landors (Brandon Jay McLaren) and Z Delgado (Monica May) join not long after. 

After 38 episodes, their heroic efforts lead to the arrest of Emperor Gruumm. There is no denying that "Power Rangers S.P.D." is a departure from what fans are used to and proves that Disney isn't afraid to change things up, especially considering the chapter that follows.

Anyone that knows anything about Disney knows the fantasy genre is an area where The House of Mouse excels. It is then no surprise in 2006 when they released "Power Rangers Mystic Force." 

An earthquake kicks the plot into gear by shattering an ancient seal of evil, unleashing a new threat on Earth that only a certain set of Rangers can stop. Making up the team this time around is Nick Russell (Firass Dirani), Chip Thorn (Nic Sampson), Maddie Rocca (Melanie Vallejo), Vida Rocca (Angie Diaz), and Xander Bly (Richard Brancatisano).

Complete with capes and wizard powers, the fourteenth season of the series sees the five teenagers suit up as the titular crew as they fight alongside an array of supporting players, including a wizard named Udonna (Peta Rutter), a genie cat named Jenji, and a knight known as Daggeron (John Tui). Together they must fight the ancient forces of Octomus the Master (John Leigh), an evil entity looking to wipe out all good magic. 

While at first glance "Power Rangers Operation Overdrive" seems like another iteration similar to "Power Rangers Turbo," it is not. The fifteenth season of the "Power Rangers" is more concerned with hunting for ancient relics than fighting monsters. "Operation Overdrive" is released in 2007 and follows a team of five skilled people chosen to track down the missing jewels that serve as the power source for the Corona Aurora.

The "Operation Overdrive" squad consists of Mack Hartford (James Beaufort), Will Aston (Samuell Benta), Dax Lo (Gareth Yuen), Ronny Robinson (Caitlin Murphy), and Rose Ortiz (Rhoda Montemayor). Together they square off against the fire and ice evildoers Moltor (Mark Ferguson) and Flurrious (Gerald Urquhart) for 32 entries. The season also features the "Once a Ranger" two-part entry that celebrates the franchise's fifteenth anniversary.

While having all the action and Zord battles as before, the narrative is reminiscent of "Indiana Jones" and "National Treasure." The studio goes all in on this season's theme, even getting the Zords in on the excavation fun as the final, combined form wields a shovel and pickaxe for its weapons.

For the sixteenth season, Disney focuses on one thing the "Power Rangers" are known for, and that is martial arts. In "Power Rangers Jungle Fury," the story kicks off by introducing viewers to the Pai Zhua, also known as The Order of the Claw. They are revealed to be the ones tasked with guarding the spirit of pure evil Dai Shi, who has been trapped inside a vessel for over 10,000 years. They also must train people in kung fu to prevent the dangerous entity from escaping.

When The Order of the Claw chooses its three top students to take over as guardians of Dai Shi, Jarrod (Bede Skinner), a disgruntled student disqualified from the honor, disrupts the ceremony. In the process, Dai Shi escapes, takes over Jarrod's body, and kills Master Mao (Nathaniel Lees). After that ordeal, fans are subject to 32 entries of wild "Power Rangers Jungle Fury" action.

The squad for "Power Rangers Jungle Fury" is a trio consisting of Casey Rhodes (Jason Smith), Lily Chilman (Anna Hutchinson), and Theo Martin (Aljin Abella), but they aren't the only rangers in the mix. There is also RJ James (David de Lautour), Dom Hargan (Nikolai Nikolaeff), and the Jungle Fury Spirit Rangers. Disney's seventh outing with the "Power Rangers" doesn't hold back and is its penultimate season with the franchise.

Disney gives the team a "Fast and Furious" style upgrade for its final run with the "Power Rangers" while setting the story in a post-apocalyptic robot nightmare. "Power Rangers RPM" takes place in a future where Earth has been conquered by a computer virus named Venjix and his army of "Grinder" droids. Only the domed city of Corinth remains as a haven for the human race, which is under the protection of the RPM Power Rangers.

Behind the wheel for "Power Rangers RPM" is Scott Truman (Eka Darville), Flynn McAllister (Ari Boyland), Summer Landstown (Rose McIver), Ziggy Grover (Milo Cawthorne), and Dillon (Dan Ewing). The fast-paced thrills, octane-fueled Zords, and compelling sci-fi storylines making up the 32-episode count aren't the only things that came out of the 17th season. "Power Rangers RPM" also features future stars like Darville ("Marvel's Jessica Jones"), McIver ("Ghosts"), and Adelaide Kade ("Reign").

There is no denying that in 2009, Disney puts the pedal to the metal when racing to the finish line with the "Power Rangers" franchise. After its decade with the property wraps up, it feels safe to say that Disney provides solid additions to the "Power Rangers" timeline.