***SPOILER WARNING!***
No Power Rangers film would be complete without the inclusion of Zords, the massive mechanical beasts-turned-assault-vehicles. Jason controls a red T-Rex Zord, Zack rides a Mastodon Zord, Kimberly pilots a pink Pterodactyl Zord, Billy operates a blur Triceratops Zord, and Trini navigates a yellow Saber-Toothed Tiger Zord.
And why are their Zords, which have a organic and biomechanical feel to them, inspired by prehistoric animals? "The idea is the Zords are machines that take on the form of the most powerful organisms of the planet they're on," director Dean Israelite told Collider (via SR). When these Zords came to Earth, dinosaurs reigned supreme and so they took on the image and the spirit of these dinosaurs – that's the mythology that we've put into the movie. But in the concept that we've created they're meant to be inspired by those animals – not an actual, literal, version of it, and so we decided we wanted to take certain liberties, too."
For those of you that haven't seen it yet, the film opens in the Cenozoic Era on Earth. Zordon (Bryan Cranston) -- who is the Red Ranger at that time -- and his team are getting their butts handed to them by the Green Ranger/Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks).
In our slideshow, you will find concept art for Billy and Trini's Zords that were designed by conceptual artist Mauricio Ruiz. We previously showcased Ruiz's work on Power Rangers, featuring his alternate designs for the Red Ranger costume (click here).
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Saban's Power Rangers follows five ordinary teens who must become something extraordinary when they learn that their small town of Angel Grove - and the world - is on the verge of being obliterated by an alien threat. Chosen by destiny, our heroes quickly discover they are the only ones who can save the planet. But to do so, they will have to overcome their real-life issues and before it's too late, band together as the Power Rangers.
Saban's Power Rangers stars Dacre Montgomery as Jason Lee Scott/the Red Ranger, RJ Cyler as Billy Cranston/the Blue Ranger, Becky G as Trini Kwan/the Yellow Ranger, Ludi Lin as Zack Taylor/the Black Ranger, Naomi Scott as Kimberly Hart/the Pink Ranger, Elizabeth Banks as Rita Repulsa, Bill Hader as Alpha 5, and Bryan Cranston as Zordon.
The film is being directed by Project Almanac-helmer Dean Israelite and was written by Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz.
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Trini's Saber-Toothed Tiger Zord
Visual Effects Supervisor Sean Faden said: "Dean always saw the Zords as a chance at wish fulfillment for the kids; every child would love to have the feeling of joyriding through their hometown in something massive like that – and we wanted to give them that sensation."
And what does Becky G think of her fierce Zord? "I'm really glad I got Saber-Toothed Tiger because I'm gonna say that mine is the coolest Zord," she told NME.
Billy's Triceratops Zord - Alternate Designs
"We wanted them to feel really organic and biomechanical, and to be their own thing aesthetically because this is all coming from an alien technology that humans don't have," Israelite explained. "What's also really fun about them is their amazing scale, so we had a lot of fun with that."
Billy's Triceratops Zord - Multiple Views
"When he was working on the design of the Zords, Dean first looked at YouTube clips of guys tearing it up through downtow n L.A. in old Mustangs as a reference," Production Designer Menzies shared. "We even played around with magnetic levitation to make them more exciting. We also made the Zords out of multiple layers so their mesh exoskeletons can transform and they can adjust their shapes."
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