Earlier this week, Power/Rangers the dark and gritty Power Rangers fan film quickly became a viral sensation on YouTube and earned the wrath of Saban, the company that owns the Power Rangers franchise.
Vimeo was the first site to capitulate to Saban’s demands when a more graphic version of Power/Rangers was taken down. Yesterday, YouTube followed suit and pulled down Power/Rangers after the video amassed over 12 million views.
Power/Rangers producer Adi Shankar and director Joseph Kahn argued that the film was protected under fair use because it was a dark satire of the Power Rangers. Tonight, it seems that Shankar and Kahn have gotten their point across.
Related: YouTube Pulls Viral Power Rangers Fan Film
Kahn announced on Twitter that both versions of Power/Rangers are back online. “Hey internet, YOU WON. Saban has kindly and generously agreed to let us show POWER/RANGERS!”
However, the opening of Power/Rangers now has the following disclaimer.
But in the end, Saban has apparently backed down from a potential legal fight with Shankar and Kahn. Some observers had predicted that a showdown in court between the two sides could have unfavorably affected the thousands of fan films online by finding them in violation of copyright. For now, that crisis has been averted.
You can once again watch Power/Rangers in the video below.
