Though her directorial career is picking up steam, Elizabeth Banks is continuing to find time for acting work. And she's snapped up a part that should let her show some snarly flare, as she'll play big bad Rita Repulsa in the new Power Rangers movie.
The latest big screen incarnation of the long-running franchise finds the Rangers, a group of power-infused teens who don brightly coloured costumes and use special vehicles to battle evil, going up against Rita, an alien witch that has decided to conquer Earth. Boo! Hiss! Careful now! Down with this sort of thing, etc. RJ Cyler, Becky G, Ludy Lin, Naomi Scott and Dacre Montgomery are the heroes the planet needs to save us all. Cue all the jokes about Oscar Isaac showing up in his X-Men: Apocalypse costume to play Ivan Ooze...
Project Almanac's Dean Israelite is directing, working from a script by Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz, with Rangers overlord Haim Saban watching everything as always. The film is aiming at a March 24, 2017 release.
Banks has several films in development as director, producer and actress, including Pitch Perfect 3, a new take on Charlie's Angels and war photographer drama Rita Hayworth With A Hand Grenade.