Elizabeth Banks in 'Rangers'

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Elizabeth Banks Joins ‘Power Rangers’ Movie as Rita Repulsa - Elizabeth Banks has joined Lionsgate’s “Power Rangers” movie as the evil alien witch Rita Repulsa.

The studio has tapped Dean Israelite to direct and has cast five young actors to star — Becky G. as the Yellow Ranger, Ludi Lin as the Black Ranger, Naomi Scott as the Pink Ranger, Dacre Montgomery as the Red Ranger and R.J. Cyler as the Blue Ranger. “Power Rangers” will hits theaters on March 24, 2017.

Producers are Saban Films’ Haim Saban and Brian Casentini, along with Allison Shearmur. Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz wrote the script.

The story reimagines the origins of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, a group of high school kids given extraterrestrial powers who unite to save the world.

The 1993 Fox Kids TV series became a pop culture phenomenon and inspired a big-screen adaptation, “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie,” in 1995.

Lionsgate and Saban Brands announced plans in 2014 to develop and produce a live-action movie based on Saban’s Power Rangers property as the first film in a franchise.

Banks directed and appeared in “Pitch Perfect 2” for Universal, and starred in Lionsgate’s “Hunger Games” films. She is repped by UTA, Untitled Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham.

Lionsgate announced the casting on the official “Power Rangers” Twitter account.