Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon has premiered in theaters for a limited release. Early reviews of the film were disappointing, despite the film’s trailer creating much hype among Snyder’s fans. However, the Man of Steel director has another big dream for Rebel Moon, one that his fans are not entirely supportive of. Snyder has expressed a desire to bring LeBron James into future Rebel Moon movies.
Fans took to X to express concerns about this decision. While LeBron James is a star player in the NBA, his acting in the 2021 film Space Jam: A New Legacy received poor reviews. Snyder’s revelation also hints at his plans to expand Rebel Moon into a larger franchise.
Zack Snyder Wants To Cast LeBron James In Future Rebel Moon Films
Zack Snyder attended the premiere of Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire along with his wife, the film’s producer Deborah Snyder. During his interview with Variety, Snyder revealed his dream casting, which came as a surprise to many. The Watchmen director picked LeBron James, admitting that the choice may sound crazy. Snyder shared with Variety:
“I think if I could get LeBron James in the movie … I know that sounds crazy. I’m just saying … but yeah, we’ll see as the story evolves.”
However, fans on X had major concerns about the director’s choice. One major reason for the concern was James’ performance in Space Jam: A New Legacy. He received two Golden Raspberry Awards for his performance, for Worst Actor and Worst Screen Combo. Fans mentioned his performance in Space Jam, with one fan sarcastically questioning whether Snyder really thought, “That’s my guy!”, after watching the film.
Some fans noted that bringing star athletes into the acting scene rarely works out and that directors should refrain from doing so. Another fan harshly stated that he couldn’t take the film seriously with the NBA star in it. Snyder was also accused of overly indulging in fan service in his films. Some fan reactions read:
To be honest after what he did in spacej o don’t know of lebron has much acting talent.
— Mikel Pascacio (@Cinemman22) December 14, 2023
Did he watch SPACE JAM 2 and think “That’s my guy!”?
— Podio Commentary (@PodioCommentary) December 15, 2023
IL never be able to take these movies seriously if LeBrons in them
— Xian Uzumaki (@UzamakiXian) December 14, 2023
Bringing athletes into the acting scene is just not a good idea.
It rarely works out.— Ri§en (@RisenLN_2) December 14, 2023
If fan service had a face, it would have Snyder’s.
— LeMAO (@former_mao) December 14, 2023
Despite the Justice League director’s bizarre choice, lead actress Sofia Boutella had another interesting dream cast choice. She wanted her Atomic Blonde co-star Charlize Theron to play a role in future Rebel Moon films.
Zack Snyder Fails To Impress Audiences With Rebel Moon
Early reviews for the film suggest that Zack Snyder’s Star Wars-like space epic may be heading for disaster. Critics struggled to find positive elements in the film due to a sluggish screenplay and clunky execution by Snyder. They commented on the unimpressive slow-motion action and dull characters. One critic even walked out of the movie, disappointingly stating that the film is “an absolute buffet for Zack Snyder haters”. Critics on X shared:
REBEL MOON – PART ONE: A CHILD OF FIRE should’ve aligned with my predilection for epic storytelling but left me feeling detached. Zack Snyder’s clunky execution makes even the most basic drama feel tedious. Derivative sci-fi with unimpressive slow-mo action & dull characters. pic.twitter.com/nLPvPneG0P
— Matt Neglia (@NextBestPicture) December 14, 2023
#RebelMoon is the first movie I’ve walked out of in a long, long time
a stunning dearth of drama, aggressive over-direction, and bad acting throughout
an absolute buffet for Zack Snyder haters pic.twitter.com/OyDbfUValI
— Eric Italiano (@eric_ital) December 14, 2023
I wanted to love #RebelMoon and *parts* of it I did, especially the end.
It spends so much time assembling the team so getting to know the characters more in the extended cut will probably enhance it. It’s big on style but the ambitious story could’ve been better delivered. pic.twitter.com/e8LrzMaz3e
— BD (@BrandonDavisBD) December 14, 2023
Snyder initially pitched the story to Lucasfilm to make it a Star Wars film. However, the pitch fell through, and Snyder took it up again years later after his DC exit. The first part of Rebel Moon is set to be released on Netflix on December 22 after its theatrical run. The second film, Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver, will follow in April of next year.
Netflix has also plans to release a Snyder-cut-like version of the film, aiming for an R-rated release.
