Earlier this week, we showed you the dark, gritty "Power Rangers" reboot directed by Joseph Kahn.
The short starred James Van Der Beek and Katee Sackhoff in a very grown-up version of the beloved children's show.
Personally, I loved this new take on the "Rangers," but there are those out there who weren't so pleased.
Jason David Frank, the actor who played the Green Ranger, wasn't a big fan.
Now, the company with the rights to the "Power Rangers," Saban Entertainment, isn't very happy either.
Saban is currently in the process of producing a feature film reboot of the franchise with Lionsgate, with the goal of releasing a movie in 2016. Understandably, it wants to protect the brand.
As such, Saban talked Vimeo and YouTube into removing the short from their sites.
Saban just pulled POWER/RANGERS off Youtube. Bad day for free speech, fair use, and Fandom in general. — Joseph Kahn (@JosephKahn) February 26, 2015
Kahn argued his film should be protected under fair use laws as he claims the movie is a parody.
Kahn also said there was no copyright infringement present in the film and he is not making any money off of it.
It's an interesting debate and I can see where both sides are coming from, but I have to side with Kahn on this one.
He made an awesome film that, in my mind, only bolsters the "Power Rangers" brand. Saban needs to lay off and/or hire Kahn to direct the upcoming movie.
Citations: The Original Power Rangers Producers Are Not Happy About the Unauthorized Short Film (Complex)
