Zack Snyder is returning with yet another visually brilliant project in collaboration with Netflix, which will be a feast for fans. The multi-film saga, titled Rebel Moon, has a touch of Star Wars elements to it. This is not a coincidence considering the movie was initially pitched to George Lucas as a standalone Star Wars movie.
Rebel Moon will explore the story of Kora, played by Sofia Boutella, who has to protect a colony at the edge of the galaxy from the invasion of a tyrannical army. And the producer of the film, Eric Newman, is happy that Snyder’s Star Wars project didn’t take off.
Eric Newman Never Wanted Zack Snyder’s Star Wars Project To Happen
Rebel Moon was initially Zack Snyder’s ‘Seven Jedi’ project. The Justice League director wrote the story within the Star Wars universe, introducing new characters, and pitched it to Lucasfilm before it was acquired by Disney. However, the project didn’t happen and Snyder moved on to head the DC projects.
After Snyder’s exit from DCEU, Netflix brought in the Watchmen director to spearhead original big-budget projects for the platform, beginning with Army of the Dead. Eric Newman, who was in the loop about the project from its start, had his reservations about integrating it with the Star Wars franchise. However, when the project came back to him after several years as an original story, Newman was thrilled. He shared:
“I remember [Zack] calling me at some point, and this has got to be 15 years ago, saying, ‘I’m thinking of doing Seven Jedi, in the Star Wars universe.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, that’s a cool idea.’ Then, a few years later, he calls me and goes, ‘You know, I think it could be a television show.’ I’m like, ‘Yes, let’s do this! F**k ‘Star Wars!’ Let’s do this as a TV show.’”
However, the project eventually turned into a two-part movie for Netflix. Deborah Snyder, Snyder’s wife and also a producer of the film, agreed with Newman, admitting she never wanted the Star Wars project as it might have restricted the world visualized by the 300 director.
Zack Snyder’s Film Was Majorly Inspired By Two Famous Works Besides Star Wars
Apart from the Star Wars inspiration, Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon draws inspiration from the works of Akira Kurosawa, especially the gem Seven Samurai. Another inspiration for the movie, as revealed by Newman, is the Heavy Metal movie from 1981. This movie was based on the infamous adult comic magazine of the same name.
The R-rating of the film was one of the contentious issues that led to the dropping of the Star Wars project. Snyder had a bunch of demands for his movie, including the more mature and R-rated filmmaking. The Sucker Punch director also did not want to draw any connections to the pre-existing Star Wars movies. These demands were a deal-breaker for Lucasfilm.
Zack Snyder agreed with Netflix’s suggestion of releasing both a PG-13 version and a Snyder cut, which will be R-rated, for Rebel Moon. Both parties also came to a consensus regarding the duration of the film, splitting Snyder’s long-duration film into two parts to suit the platform’s shorter movie style.
Fans are eagerly waiting for the release of the first part, Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire, scheduled to premiere on Netflix on December 22, 2023. The second part of the movie, The Scargiver, will be released on April 19, 2024.
Source: SlashFilm
