Elizabeth Banks cast as Rita Repulsa in upcoming 'Power Rangers' revival

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Elizabeth Banks has been cast of the evil Rita Repulsa in Lionsgate's upcoming film revival of Power Rangers.

Announced on social media Tuesday, Banks joins a growing young cast of young Hollywood actors including Becky G (Yellow Ranger), R.J. Cyler (Blue Ranger), Dacre Montgomery (Red Ranger), Ludi Lin (Black Ranger) and Naomi Scott (Pink Ranger).

Based on the hit 1990's kids television series of the same name, Power Rangers followed the adventures of an ordinary group of high school students who are able to transform into colorful heroes able to wield powerful weapons and towering mechs in order to defend the earth from the forces of evil.

Rita Repulsa, a powerful witch who was imprisoned for thousands of years, served as the main antagonists for the Rangers using her magical staff to bring giant monsters to life in order to conquer earth.

"Big news! @ElizabethBanks joins the cast of @PowerRangersMovie as the villainous #RitaRepulsa. Let the countdown to 2017 begin!," the official Instagram account posted alongside a promotional poster of Banks.

Directed by Dean Israelite, Power Rangers is set to debut in theaters on Mar. 24, 2017.