On Thursday, Aug. 27, the AMC Americana in Glendale, CA, transformed into a set straight out of Power Rangers.
Cast and crew from Well Go Entertainment USA’s new independent film, Legend of the White Dragon, descended upon the red carpet for an evening that was more than ten years in the making.
A decade ago, late ‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’ star Jason David Frank was in the process of developing a film that would serve as a darker companion to the upbeat franchise he’d spent the majority of his career acting in.
Alongside his close friend, actor and director Aaron Schoenke, Frank began conceptualizing the film. An initial attempt to raise funding back in 2019 fell short, but after two years of community outreach, Frank’s fans pledged more than $500,000 for his passion project.
With the newly acquired budget, Bat in the Sun Productions immediately got to work and began filming in 2021. Just as production wrapped, however, tragedy struck. Frank died on November 19, 2022, at the age of 49.
The film’s team decided to honor Frank’s legacy by finishing the project as they believed he’d intended. Now, Legend of the White Dragon is available to watch in theaters across North America.
At the Thursday night premiere, the film’s cast celebrated Frank’s creative vision.
“When me and Jason came up with this idea over ten years ago, or more than that, to see it now here is surreal, it’s beautiful, it’s very bitter sweet. The dream was to stand here with him, to see the smile on his face,” said Schoenke, who plays Dragon Prime and also co-directed and produced the film.
Legend of the White Dragon
Legend of the White Dragon is intended to be a gritty take on the classic super hero film. Though it draws creative inspiration from the Power Rangers franchise, and features multiple cast members from the series, the film exists in an entirely independent universe. It follows disgraced hero Erik Reed, formerly known as the White Dragon, as he attempts to clear his name in the face of multiple threats.
Actors Jason Faunt, Cerina Vincent and Ciara Hanna, all former Power Rangers characters, make appearances in the film. Faunt plays Connor Frost, one of Reed’s closest allies who helps him fight against the mysterious villain, Dragon Prime. Vincent plays Reed’s wife, Rebecca Reed, and she also plays the on-screen mother of Reed’s daughter, Ashley, played by Frank’s real-life daughter, Jenna Frank.
“His influence is all over it [the film] because he created this whole world,” said Vincent. “I hope that it reminds people that, if anyone is struggling with mental health, that they reach out. If we can accomplish anything with this film, I hope that it’s that: that we can save someone.”
In the movie, Frank’s character struggles by himself for a long time before reconnecting with his friends and family. His journey of self-discovery and healing in the film is the primary inspirational element that drives the story.
Legend of the White Dragon
Rachele Brooke Smith, who plays Reed’s ally Iris, says Frank was trying to teach viewers that, “no matter who you are, superheroes need help too. Every hero has a sidekick, they have a team, they have a community, they have a support system that is helping them accomplish it.”
Legend of the White Dragon is now playing in select theaters nationwide.
