Zack Snyder is heading to outer space as Netflix helps him launch yet another series of films that they hope will turn into a massive franchise. This time it’s with Rebel Moon, a new science fiction epic that’s launching as two films from the prolific action director. The pair of films are looking to be Netflix’s own Star Wars-like franchise. The first trailer for the film dropped today at Gamescon with Snyder himself introducing it.
The film isn’t just like (Are those lightsabers?) Star Wars it is Star Wars. The movie comes from a failed pitch for the franchise that Snyder was part of but instead of accepting defeat he just ran off to Netflix and decided to turn it into his own film. The movie stars Sofia Boutella as Kora, as a mysterious woman who must help some peaceful farmers fight against a galactic dictator. She must find the right rained fighters to rebel against the evil empire and thus put an end to their tyranny. Collecting a group of heroes to fight a big bad is, without a doubt, not an original concept by any stretch of the imagination but Snyder isn’t really known for originality but instead blowing stuff up good and somehow making big, stupid ideas kind of fun.
From the trailer it looks like the movie is taking influences not just from Star Wars but Dune and Firefly as well. Of course, all science fiction steals from previous science fiction so that makes sense but clearly Snyder has a vision for this movie that reflects those classics. It also reflects his love of slow motion with plenty of shots throughout just this three minute teaser.
The film has a stacked cast that includes Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman, Doona Bae, Ray Fisher, with Charlie Hunnam and Anthony Hopkins as the voice of ‘Jimmy’. Also starring Staz Nair, Fra Fee, Cleopatra Coleman, Stuart Martin, Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson, Alfonso Herrera, Cary Elwes, Rhian Rees, E. Duffy, Jena Malone, Sky Yang, Charlotte Maggi, Corey Stoll. Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad, and Shay Hatten wrote the screenplay.
Rebel Moon‘s first part will release on Netflix on December 22. The second part will land on April 19, 2024. That’s not the end of Rebel Moon, however, as there’s already a video game in the works and there’s sure to be more films and movies coming.
