TheLegend of the White Dragoncast includes a handful ofPower Rangersalumni, which makes sense given that thePower Rangersfranchise provides some inspiration for the movie.Legend of the White Dragonis also set to be a posthumous release for one of the most famousPower Rangersof all: Jason David Frank. Frank spent most of his acting career playing Tommy Oliver in multiplePower Rangersprojects.
Legend of the White Dragonwas born out of Frank’s desire for a grittier take on aPower Rangersstory. The movie was launched as a Kickstarter project as a collaboration between Frank and producer/writer/director Aaron Schoenke. Schoenke and Frank had previously worked together on web series likeMy Morphin’ Life. The first launch of the crowdfunding for the project failed to meet its goal, but the second time around,Legend of the White Dragonlaunched on Kickstarter with a plan as a miniseries instead of a movie. It more than met its goal, putting plans for Jason David Frank’s final movie back on track.
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Who Is Jason David Frank?
Jason David Frank was an actor and martial artist who got his professional start in the seriesMighty Morphin Power Rangersin 1993. Though he had other roles in movies and television over the course of a nearly 40-year career, he will likely always be remembered best forhis role as Power Ranger Tommy Oliver. Frank starred as Tommy Oliver in the original series as well asPower Rangers Zeo,Power Rangers Turbo,Power Rangers Dino Thunder, and made appearances in other seasons likePower Rangers Wild Force,Power Rangers Super Megaforce, andPower Rangers Super Ninja Steel. He also had a cameo in the LionsgatePower Rangersmovie as a citizen of Angel Grove.
After his experience with different forms of martial arts from a young age, he developed his own style of martial arts, which is what he used in his amateur and professional matches, as well as what he taught. In 2022, Frank announced he was retiring from his role within thePower Rangersfranchise and declined to participate in the 30th-anniversary special. Prior to the announcement, he was at work onLegend of the White Dragon, the movie that was funded through a Kickstarter campaign.
Legend of the White Dragonwill be released posthumously asFrank died in late 2022.
What Is Legend Of The White Dragon About?
Legend Of The White Dragonis a superhero movie, though not from an existing superhero property. Instead, it’s inspired by the likes of thePower Rangersfranchise(and theSuper Sentaiseries that inspired those). Jason David Frank had long expressed interest in creating a darker and grittierPower Rangersidea with an adult Tommy Oliver to give the character a final send-off. WhileLegend of the White Dragonisn’t exactly that, it does come close to the idea.
Jason David Frank plays a former superhero named Erik Reed who has been living as a fugitive for three years. Though he’s been in hiding for that time, he returns to the city that he previously protected as a hero to again protect the wife and daughter he was forced to leave behind. He also sets out to clear his name but has to battle Dragon Prime (played by co-writer and director Aaron Schoenke) as the White Dragon in order to do so.
Just as Power Rangers are fueled by coins, crystals, or other specific items that give them a connection to their power,Legend of the White Dragonsees both Dragon Prime and the White Dragon fueled by a crystal that gives them their superpowers and armor.
Who Else Is In The Legend Of The White Dragon Cast?
WhenLegend of the White Dragonfirst launched on Kickstarter (and wasn’t funded the first time around), the cast looked a little different from what became theLegend of the White Dragoncast for the final film. While Jason David Frank was always the planned star of the movie, there were initially quite a fewPower Rangersalumni who were planned to appear. Johnny Yong Bosch was one of them. Bosch starred alongside Frank as Power Ranger Adam Park inMighty Morphin Power Rangers,Power Rangers Zeo, andPower Rangers Turbo. When the project was relaunched and funded on Kickstarter, however, Bosch was no longer a part of it.
In addition to Frank and writer/director Schoenke, the final cast ofLegend of the White Dragon, however, does see a few other cast members from the franchise. Cerina Vincent, who played Yellow Ranger Maya inPower Rangers Lost Galaxyplays Rebecca, the wife of Frank’s character Erik. Jason Faunt, whoplayed Red Ranger Wes CollinsinPower Rangers Time Force, plays Connor Frost, an ally of Erik’s. Ciara Hanna, who played Yellow Ranger Gia Moran inPower Rangers Megaforce, plays Vanessa, the love of Jai Katua’s life, the man who becomes Dragon Prime.
Outside thosePower Rangersalumni, the cast also boasts David Ramsey (Arrow), Dhalet Lizette Brannan (Dystopia), Mayling Ng (The Suicide Squad), Rachele Brooke Smith (The Last Exorcist), Nicole Fong (Call Me Kat), and Charlotte Benesch (Outer Banks). It also features the legendary Mark Dacascos who movie fans will recognize from a slew of projects like theJohn WickandMortal Kombatfranchises.
Michael Madsen, reportedly Jason David Frank’s favorite actor, is also in theLegend of the White Dragoncast as the father of Erik Reed, who just so happens to be an accomplished thief. Madsen’s professional work started in theater in the 1980s, but he’s got a huge body of work behind him that includesQuentin Tarantino projects, commentary in docuseries likeI Love The ‘70s, and voiceover work in animated projects likeBob’s Burgers. Also making their big screen debut in theLegend of the White Dragoncast is Jenna Frank. Jason David Frank’s real-life daughter plays his daughter in the movie.
After several delays,Legend of the White Dragonis expected to hit theaters in early 2024.
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