While a film’s protagonist takes up a significant portion of the plotline, no film can do away with antagonists. However, the backstory to the latter’s character is often not paid heed to, unless it’s Joker. Therefore, a villain character whose history untwined with much greater depth was portrayed by Hollywood star Ed Skrein in Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon.
Skrein played Admiral Atticus Noble, a superior military leader in the Imperium. The Star Wars-inspired movie presents him as a neurotic, loyal to the Motherworld. With Skrein’s long list of villains played, it wasn’t a surprise to see him against the hero. However, the bar set by Atticus changed his perspectives on all other villains.
Admiral Atticus raised Ed Skrein’s villain standards
Set to hit theatres on Friday, Rebel Moon unfolds into a sci-fi universe revolving around Kora, a freedom fighter on a quest to protect her world from intruders. The 40-year-old actor discussed his character in a recent interview with Discussing Film on Twitter, revealing that Atticus had much more to the character than Ed Skrein had expected. Ed Skrein said,
“Usually villains they’re there to serve the protagonist & have a very small backstory. But when I read the script, I thought this is incredible”
https://twitter.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1735147747936772345?t=dfD-ZcnMSBgVoU35ht-9vA&s=19
Moreover, the English star also admitted playing other villains would be a challenge hereon since most don’t offer as much depth to their characters. Skrein also added that playing Admiral Atticus was like a dream, and credited Snyder for his justice to the villains of his movies. He added in the interview,
“Where am I gonna get one as well serviced as this one?”
Furthermore, Skrein marked it as the villain of a lifetime, expressing his immense passion for portraying Noble. Rebel Moon: A Child of Fire is the first installment of the epic saga and its sequel, The Scaregiver will unravel in 2024.
Ed Skrein breaks down his character
The movie has created quite some buzz in the film industry. As a result, Screen Rant grabbed a refreshing scoop from the Ajax actor, highlighting the true essence of Admiral Atticus. When asked if his character is actively indulged in the film’s plotline, Skrein gave an elaborate explanation. He said,
“When we meet Noble, we meet a man with an incredible amount of military power, might, and an arsenal behind him…And then sometimes there’s a small, very sharp burst of violence, but most of the time it’s a performative, eloquent, almost thespian, verbal, intellectual violence. So that’s how we meet Noble.”
Apart from his intense portrayal, Skrein even got all chiseled up for the role. He opened up about his training regime, claiming he is more of a fitness freak. Not to ideally portray his characters but to stay fit and healthy for his 50s and 60s. Also, speaking of his admiration for Zack Snyder, the 6’1 actor lauded him as the greatest man. Ready to premiere soon, fans will be waiting for Admiral Atticus’s story to unfold.
