So… we kind of missed two weeks of Super Megaforce news. Oops. Let’s see… where do I start here. …Dangit Joe…

Actor Steve Cardenas, who is best known for his role as MMPR/Zeo’s Rocky DeSantos(Otherwise known as the guy who can’t win) recently revealed in a Facebook response that he has turned down an offer to return for Power Rangers Super Megaforce. The actor was quoted in saying:

“The was too low and there’s not a lot of character development. Just going to be in the background as an extra. I would’ve love to do it but I could possibly take the amount of time away from my business for a little amount of money. I’m sorry but I believe that it’s them that’s letting the fans down because they want to get away with paying a little. I hope you understand.”

I don’t think I’m alone in saying that Rocky will be surely missed on the series. Or maybe I am. I actually don’t think anyone cared about Rocky DeSantos, because he had the unfortunate luck of being in the same seasons as popular characters such as Tommy Oliver, Adam Park, Kimberly Ann Hart, Billy Cranston, Jason Lee Scott and, of course, Brad Hawkins. Still, I shall miss this underrated ranger and his zany-ish antics. I wish Steve the best of luck in his business.

Speaking of MMPR actors and actresses who turned down Super Megaforce, Karan Ashley, best known for her role as Aisha Tyler in Seasons 2 and 3 of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers(And the only one of

the replacement rangers, which includes Rocky, Adam and Kat, that didn’t go on to Zeo), has also confirmed that she turned down the offer for Super Megaforce, this time on the May 6th airing of “Uncensored Radio”. Like her colleague and former costar, Steve Cardenas, she is not returning due to budget restrictions and the low pay she would be getting because Power Rangers is actually a pretty cheap show, all things considered. It doesn’t even have the budget to pay actual writers anymore. If you would like to listen to the comment yourself, the link to the video can be found here.

While this is certainly sad news, I’d like to point out that she was called. Which is more than I can say for Matt Austin, who played the beloved Bridge Carson on Power Rangers SPD. Matt responded to his colleague’s comments with the following:

First. I don’t know what email Saban sent out. As far as I know – nobody in Disney era cast received a letter. Second. I totally get Karan. PR is one of the most top rated kids series in the world – the actors get paid peanuts to do it relative to any other show on television that doesn’t play in every foreign market on earth. I actually make more at my current joe job per hour than they ever paid. They make tons of money off of licensing and merchandise, that doesn’t trickle down to the actor.

To ask cast (except me apparently) to go down to NZ, essentially for free when you subtract food/airfare/hotel and the time away from responsibilities at home – is a LOSS. This is one of the major reasons why you started to have a rotating cast. So there aren’t any contract negotiations. You have the cast. You milk them and then you cut them off. It’s one of the reasons SPD/Mystic Force didn’t have a team up. Wish it were different. I love the show and I love the fans. #Buttery

Last thing I’ll say on this & you may Tumblr away at will. Saban probably doesn’t even know who Bridge is, let alone who I am…and they will most likely never hire me as an actor or filmmaker. What has Saban done for you? You guys shat on Disney when they took over the franchise. Sure Disney might have messed up PR continuity, but they cared about the stories they were telling and the people involved. Say what you will, but this is the company we should be saluting for bring us more Star Wars.

In short, Matt Austin wasn’t contacted, none of the Disney-era actors were contacted(which was not complete knowledge, as Rangercrew’s Fury Diamond later revealed that some Disney-era actors WERE contacted, with no specifics on who), Matt Austin loves the fanbase AND the show, and, most importantly, he thinks Saban has screwed things up. I mean, he is biased, of course, but still. It is depressing that he wasn’t contacted, though. Bridge is high up on a lot of “favorite ranger” list, even being one of the favorite rangers of our own Jose “Joe” Cuevas. He, like most of the people on this list, will be surely missed. But, keep in mind, these people have jobs and families, and a lot of them don’t think the ends justify the means on this one.

As stated in our interview with him, Jason Chan also hasn’t been contacted about returning. This is likely due to the fact that they have stock footage for the core three team members morphed fighting alongside the team. Jason will be missed, as he is yet another of people’s favorite rangers. Wait… Tommy, Adam, Bridge, Cam… I’m starting to notice a pattern here.

And to finish off today’s actor related news, we have one more actor won’t be returning for Super Megaforce. Rhett Fisher, who played Ryan Mitchell, AKA the Titanium Ranger, in Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue, will not be returning to the show. But unlike the other people I have mentioned before, he didn’t turn down the role. It’s not even that he wasn’t contacted. No, Rhett was offered the role and accepted. And then after a week of making preparations, Saban went back on their word. Rhett’s presence will probably be missed the most, being the first American-exclusive Ranger. But, you know, budget cuts happened, it’s really no one’s fault. But it’s still a bummer that none of the aforementioned actors will be returning to the show.

And so ends our big actor news dump for Power Rangers Super Megaforce. The series is set to premiere next year, and will be used to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of Power Rangers. On it’s twenty-first season. I don’t understand that part, but congratulations to Power Rangers anyways. It has lasted a very long time for a series that most people haven’t payed attention too after it’s second year.