Lionsgate is less than three weeks away from unleashing its reboot of the iconic Power Rangers franchise. The company remains hard at work promoting the film across the digital landscape, especially the story of the diverse team of five Rangers and their backstory as a band of misfits-turned heroes. The film is expected to tread thematic waters with the main characters that have rarely been seen in the franchise.
However, this is Power Rangers after all, so the film is also likely to be a lot of fun for young viewers. And like most superhero teams, much of the Rangers’ appeal to younger audiences has been the idea of becoming one of them. And now, the film’s marketing team is taking advantage of virtual reality to give Power Rangers fans a glimpse inside the helmet.
As first reported by CBR, the Power Rangers reboot is getting its own VR app to be used with smartphones and VR-ready devices, called Power Rangers: Zords Rising. The app is previewed in a new video from the Lionsgate YouTube channel, which you can watch above. The app first hits the Apple App Store, Google Play, and GearVR for download on March 8.
“Discover what it feels like to be a Power Ranger,” the video teases, calling for fans to immerse themselves in the “Power Rangers VR Experience.” It previews the appearances of Zordon, Alpha 5, and the Rangers’ Dino Zords as part of the app. The app is also promising the first-ever “six degrees of freedom” VR experience, which allows for “full positional tracking without the need for additional accessories or sensors” - however, that feature only works with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon VR platform.
Ultimately, it’s certainly worth leveraging any kind of new or emerging tech that’s at your disposal if you stand to gain from promoting a new big-budget film - in this case, the $105 million-dollar Power Rangers reboot. The concept of putting viewers into a Power Rangers suit is trailor-made for VR experiences and perfect for promoting the film to users equipped with VR gear. The new app is bound to attract younger fans and give older ones a sense of tech-fueled nostalgia.
Of course, there’s no telling if the film itself will be as good as the promotions. The trailers promise plenty of great action and epic visual effects, but it remains to be seen if the story and characters will measure up to that same standard. Still, the new VR app is a creative, forward-thinking way to promote the Power Rangers reboot and a potentially effective piece of brand marketing.
Source: CBR, Lionsgate
