Power Rangers set photos offer a hint of Rita Repulsa's backstory

It's taken its time err, powering up, and now the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers movie has finally started shooting. The live-action flick follows a story that fans of the brightly-colored heroes will recognise: five high-schoolers find themselves battling against an alien threat out to destroy their hometown. Their enemy takes the form of Rita Repulsa, an unhinged baddie who wreaks havoc wherever she goes.

So far, so Power Rangers. Well, that is until the first snap of Repulsa hit the web earlier this month. Elizabeth Banks' take on the iconic villain is completely different to the TV version. She's still got a flair for theatrics, don't worry, and this latest crop of snaps only prove that this Repulsa frankly doesn't give a damn about what's come before.

OH MY GOD WHAT ARE THEY DOING WITH RITA REPULSA?!? https://t.co/CvLbBrkBG6 pic.twitter.com/MkzqUlV4BoApril 28, 2016

New #PowerRangers Set Photos. New Look At #RitaRepulsa And Possible Power Rangers Weapons. pic.twitter.com/YD7d0brdM6April 28, 2016

Fotos exclusivas desde el set de la nueva película hollywoodense 2.0 de los #PowerRangers⚡ con Rita Repulsa re tap😎 pic.twitter.com/rF0Jd9S7cFApril 29, 2016

More POWER RANGERS Set Photos Reveal 'Rita Repulsa's' Secondary Outfit; Plus Mysterious Objects Spotted On Set pic.twitter.com/hMoncoe5CIApril 28, 2016

Rumor has it that the difference in Banks' costume - compared to the green ensemble - is down to story. After being released from a 10,000-year prison stint for fighting an earlier group of Power Rangers, Repulsa is on the warpath and bumps into this new team while in her convict attire. The pictures show Repulsa alongside several of the heroes, including Naomi Scott's Pink Ranger. YVR Shoots, the site which posted the pics, claims that Repulsa was spotted 'sucking the life' from each of the Rangers. That goes some way to explaining the image where she appears to be laying a smooch on Scott's Kimberly Hart.

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Directed by Dean Israelite and starring Naomi Scott, Dacre Montgomery, RJ Cyler, Ludi Lin, and Elizabeth Banks, the Power Rangers movie will be released in UK and US cinemas on January 13, 2017.

Images: YVR Shoots / Lionsgate

Gem Seddon is a freelance writer working to keep all of you updated on all of the latest and greatest movies and shows on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. Outside of entertainment journalism, Gem can frequently be found writing about the alternative health and wellness industry, and obsessing over all things Aliens and Terminator on Twitter.