Zack Snyder Discusses ‘Rebel Moon’ Director’s Cuts and ‘300’ Prequel Series

[This story contains spoilers for Rebel Moon.]

After nearly three decades, Zack Snyder’s unfiltered vision for his space opera Rebel Moon is finally available. The journey leading to the two-part director’s cut on Netflix has been a long one. Originally conceptualized from inspirations like Seven Samurai, Star Wars, and Heavy Metal magazine, the project began to take shape in 1997 with co-writer Kurt Johnstad.

In 2012, Snyder retooled his ideas for Star Wars and pitched it to Lucasfilm post-Disney acquisition of the franchise. When that didn’t work, he tried to sell it as a movie and video game to his collaborators at Warner Bros. and even considered creating a TV series with Narcos producer Eric Newman.

Snyder’s exit from the DC universe in 2017 finally set Rebel Moon in motion, with his long-time collaborator and former Netflix film chief Scott Stuber pouncing on his availability. Netflix leaned on Snyder to create original franchises, resulting first in Army of the Dead and Army of Thieves. Before these were even released, Snyder called Johnstad to put Rebel Moon into action.

With co-writer Shay Hatten, Snyder and Johnstad created a 216-page script, which was initially cut down to 138 pages. Snyder then revised it back to the longer version to better preserve character development. This decision led to the current two-part story with PG-13 and R-rated cuts. The nearly $170 million project was designed to appeal not only to teens but also for merchandising opportunities easier with PG-13 material.

Snyder meticulously planned the different cuts, understanding what would and would not make it into Netflix’s PG-13 chapters. This resulted in certain intense sequences, such as the original violent introduction of Ed Skrein’s sadistic character Admiral Noble, being saved for the 204-minute Rebel Moon — Part One: Director’s Cut and the 173-minute Rebel Moon — Part Two: Director’s Cut.

“We knew before shooting that it [certain scenes] would not be in Part One’s PG-13 cut. I couldn’t really conceive of a PG-13 version,” Snyder explains. “So it was always meant for the R-rated version.”

Dawn of the Dead marked Snyder’s emergence in Hollywood under Scott Stuber’s tenure at Universal. However, it was 2007’s 300, co-written with Johnstad, that launched Snyder into the spotlight. His work convinced Warner Bros. that he was the right choice for their adaptation of Watchmen and later Man of Steel under Christopher Nolan’s recommendation.

During Snyder’s time within the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), films like Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad and Wonder Woman averaged $779 million globally. Despite respectable box office numbers, Warners had Marvel-sized expectations that led to frequent second-guessing during the 2016 production of Justice League.

Following the tragic death of Snyder’s daughter Autumn in 2017, he decided to exit Justice League and the DC universe. The studio’s retooled version of the film met critical and commercial failure, sparking the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement, which was accompanied by fundraising for suicide prevention in Autumn Snyder’s honor.

Fast forward to now, with new leadership at Warners and DC, Snyder is developing a 300 prequel series for Warner Bros. TV. Reflecting on this, Snyder mentions, “It’s a fun streaming concept that I think everybody is into.”

To discuss Rebel Moon, Snyder shared insights on the significant changes and additions in the director’s cuts, from character development to more intricate story points. He touched on the nuances between the PG-13 and R-rated versions, acknowledging the complex and exhaustive process of essentially creating four different movies.

Opening sequences essential to the story’s context, such as Ed Skrein’s Admiral Noble introduction, were kept solely for the R-rated cuts to maintain their intense tone. “It really changes the tone of the movie,” Snyder states. There were added intimate scenes that were deemed critical for character development, especially those involving Kora’s relationships.

Jimmy’s character, voiced by Anthony Hopkins, undertakes a spiritual journey, highlighting the religious fervor the Jimmies feel for Issa. The director’s cuts also elaborate on different story elements, like the collection of teeth around Princess Issa’s image, which they use as moral cover for their actions.

Rebel Moon — Part One: Director’s Cut and Rebel Moon — Part Two: Director’s Cut are now available for streaming on Netflix.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter