The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers was an animated series that was created by Robert Mandell who later created Starla and the Jewel Riders. It ran from 1986 to 1989 and featured animation from Tokyo Movie Shinsha which provided animation for many American shows like Mighty Orbots as well as Super Dimension Century Orguss. The show is said to be heavily influenced by Top Gun (1986), but also has some fascinating sci fi world building and Western settings. The animated series had some great music, a strong premise and diverse characters, and that cool factor that wants you to put on a badge and be transformed to a brave, outer space officer! This treatment is based on the first episode, “Phoenix” (1986) written by Robert Mandell. It also indulges in some casting suggestions.
Setting: The colony planet Kirwin on the frontier. The atmosphere has a coppery sheen like dusk with shreds of cirrus clouds. (This is more space-y than the animated episode, but we get more of a Western feel). We have several silos outside of the town square with a very Earth-like plain. The farmers are working on a geodesic greenhouse dome. A farmer, a woman with braided, brown hair, is saying the dryness of the climate is slowing the growth of lettuce, but the corn is on track for crop yields. We move from Kirwin’s orbit to near space where a triangular, red Crown Destroyer breaks from hyperspace. The Queen of Crown, speaking from red pulses in the Y-shaped hood opening of the cloaked Slaver Lords, demands collection of the new species, humans. (She was voiced by Corinne Orr in the animated series). There is a rumbling sound that startles the farmer. The silos explode and are burning. Red Crown fighters are descending. The soldiers in purple armor fire stun blasts at the colonists. The farmer cries out, “Who will save us?”
We shift into space, stars streak by, then darkness. Next, we hear guitar riffs and then drums. Narrator: “In 2086, mankind begins to terraform Mars.” We see images to the side of several ships traveling to and from Mars. “One hundred years later, two peaceful aliens journey to Earth to seek allies against the Crown Empire. In exchange, they gave plans for the first hyperdrive to colonize space.” There is the two aliens, Waldo and Zozo, who fly their ship and then we get the Earth ship shifting from hyperdrive to a new planet. (Actor Bob Bottone voiced Zozo and Henry Mandell played Waldo. The best actor for Waldo, a distinguished, calm, intelligent alien, is Bryan Cranston. He of course was in Godzilla (2014). I think the perfect actor for Zozo, intelligence and child-like wonder, is Martin Klebba who was in the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017). Warwick Davis would be great Zozo and of course Peter Dinklage, but it may be not a strong part for him. The possible prosthetics would be difficult for actors).
(Note: 2086 was the date that the aliens gave Earth hyperdrive in the cartoon, but I wanted to use that date to establish Earth is starting to terraform, make planets habitable, so they have the technology when they begin colonizing the galaxy. The time to learn terraforming I thought would be one hundred years). Narrator: “Earth has begun colonizing space expanding planets along the frontier in the next two hundred years.” We get glimpses of frontier worlds; farms with bulbous, purple crops, and strange plateaus of rock, with riders. (The time period of the movie would be 2386.) This is short clips of future history to a rock and roll beat. “BETA, the Bureau of Extra-Terrestrial Affairs, has formed an elite group committed to promoting justice across the frontier.”
We get from the darkness, beams of light and the fiery stamp of a golden badge, the Galaxy Rangers logo around a star. Then, we get a surge of music as the “No Guts, No Glory” song is played. Captain Zachary Foxx is escorting his family, wife Aliza, son Zack and daughter Jessie to Kirwin on their ship, The Phoenix. (He was voiced by Jerry Orbach who was in Law & Order. I think the actor who would fit the role is Eric Bana. He can handle action with the movie Troy (2004) and dramatic parts. Other possible actors are Thomas Jane and Skeet Ulrich. Zachary of course is the team leader). Zachary wears the uniform of a Galaxy Ranger; blue shirt with white frontpiece and shoulder plates, belt, and white leg armor.
(I’m thinking Ashley Judd for Aliza though it is a small part. Other possible actresses are Milla Jovovich or Isla Fisher). He is taking his family to the sanctuary of Kirwin. Zachary was assigned by Galaxy Rangers to transport ambassadors Zozo and Waldo. Zozo has long ears that point upwards, purple skin, and lemur-like eyes. Waldo is tall, bald, with a wide, cat-like nose, and a white, half-beard. The Phoenix’s computer, GeeVee, a cyclopean computer icon plays a distress message from Kirwin about humans abducted from the colony. (Bob Bottone voiced GeeVee, very funny, and computer-like). He also reports that a hyperspace signature has been detected from Kirwin. Zachary drops Phoenix out of hyperspace and this causes an engine failure. Waldo reroutes power to the shields.
The Crown Destroyer appears and fires blasts that overload the ship. GeeVee closes down. Zozo and Waldo work to restore the ship’s systems. Waldo suspects that the enemy ship will breach the hull of the Phoenix. Zachary has everyone don oxygen masks. He is prepping the Phoenix’s shuttle for his family and the ambassadors to escape. The ship is rocked by the Crown Destroyer’s breaching ram. Zachary has everyone hold on as the breach is made and air is drawn out of the ship. He has Jessie and Zack enter the shuttle. The cockpit console has the image of the Queen of the Crown who threatens to capture the two aliens. They defy her and leave for the shuttle.
(This shifts to the pirate Captain Kidd in the cartoon, but slows down the narrative with yet another character. Also, a rescue and escape attempt, is too complicated. It was really about the Queen so it's bringing the story back to her). The ram opens and several Crown soldiers are fired upon by Zachary with a pistol and Aliza with a rifle. (The Galaxy Rangers guns, back when the show aired, kids were ok to play with guns. Now, I think there should be stylized, white-barreled (no silver parts), blue handle WhiteStar 34 SmartGuns that shoot blasts of plasma, lasers. It has light blue pulses from the firing pin area). The ambassadors take cover, but Zachary moves them to the shuttle while his wife covers them. Zozo says he has overloaded the engines to cover their escape. Zack begins to warm up the shuttle engines as GeeVee activates the computer console. This is detected by the Crown Destroyer control room and the Queen orders capture coils to trap the shuttle.
The coils snake from the Crown Destroyer to wrap around the shuttle, Zack struggles with the controls, and manages to sever the ship connector. (The ship to ship breach is Star Wars, in early scripts breath masks were worn, but this brings a bit of realism to the story). Jessie worries about her parents. Zozo tries to work with GeeVee to shut down the engines and save them. The Crown soldiers are about to overrun Zachary and Aliza, she throws one to the side, Zachary is stunned and falls in the connector. Aliza is stunned and the Queen walks up saying that she will be a perfect subject for the psychocrystal. She is taken away with the Queen by the Crown soldiers to their ship. (Why is Aliza taken away and how can she be saved? This will be answered in the film). The Crown Destroyer starts to pull away as the Phoenix’s engines begins to overload. Zachary revives and sees the overload, he slips on a space suit to evacuate.
An explosion engulfs the right side of Zachary's body. (The bionic profile in the show has half of his body with cybernetic parts, but this is never explained). He is able to drag himself to the airlock and sends himself off into space. The Phoenix explodes as the Crown Destroyer jumps to hyperspace. Zachary in his space suit is spinning unconscious from the ship’s destruction. GeeVee has detected Zachary and recovers him with the shuttle’s robotic arms. He is placed in a decompression chamber and Jessie fears for her father. GeeVee plots a course to the nearest medical base. Galaxy Ranger medical facility, Earth. We get Zachary in a white gown being monitored by robots. Commander Joseph Walsh is met by Doctor Hartford who has just arrived from his home in Jamaica. (Hubert Kelly voiced Doc in the cartoon. For some reason, I’m instantly thinking of Richard Riehle for Commander Walsh. He has a gruffness).
Doc is about 25, a genius, but a little goofy. (I would absolutely cast Richard Ayoade if he is interested. Possibly Noel Clarke who was in Doctor Who or John Boyega if he is up for another sci fi movie). Doc says that he is more of a medic than a medical doctor, he is a doctor of computer science and robotics. He is of course the team medic and intelligence operative able to hack into any system. Doc has his handheld Computer Diagnostic Unit and attaches a cable to a medical console to send an AI tweaker program, Lifeline, to analyze the data. Walsh says that Doc is needed to save Zachary Foxx’s life with cybernetic replacements. Doc says that Zachary has severe damage on his right side, his skin is also burnt, but bio-tissues could enhance the acceptance of bionics. Walsh agrees to the procedure. After the operation, Zachary is recovering in bed as Doc is checking the diagnostics. Zachary revives and asks Doc what happened. He explains also that his wife was captured by the Crown Empire.
Later, Zachary with a blue medical bands around his arm and side, finishes his debriefing with Commander Walsh. He gives Zachary the assignment to assemble a team for a new program involving the Series-5 implants. Zachary agrees and asks to take along Doc. Wolf Den, Beta Mountains. Doc explains to Zachary that there was a failed, experimental program using genetically-enhanced humans. He takes Zachary out to a range and shows him one of the survivors of the trooper program, Shane Gooseman. Goose has wild, blonde hair and a cowboy attitude.(He was voiced by Doug Preis in the series. Actors for Goose could be Logan Lerman who starred in The Three Musketeers (2011) or Joe Keery from Stranger Things). Goose's genetic DNA is unstable which is how he survived the trooper program. Goose spins his pistols and blasts several targets. A stray blast hits his shoulder. He mets with Doc and Zachary who see that his wounded skin has turned red shifting to a normal color.
Goose is the forward element, stealth, and marksman for the team. He says he doesn’t want to be trapped there so he signs up. Colony world, Xanadu. The three Rangers are walking into a meditation hall There is a young woman, Niko, who is in a yoga pose. Niko is the calm part of the team, she is a telepath, but equal with her guns. (She was also voiced by Laura Dean. I’m going to repeat my casting from the revised Force Awakens; Jessica Henwick or Ellen Wong. Niko’s last name would be appropriate for the actress in the part). She says she knows they are Rangers and that they are going to ask her to join the Series-5 program. Niko agrees to join to help control her telepathic ability. She is the communications and surveillance of the team. (I hope all of the voice actors who are still with us and interested would appear somewhere in the movie). This is the beginning of Galaxy Rangers! We haven’t gotten to their Series-5 implants or using their powers, but the ground work has been established.
#GalaxyRangers, #RobertMandell, #ZacharyFoxx, #DocHartford, #ShaneGooseman, #Niko
