Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon updates are on the way to open the door to Snyder’s new sci-fi universe. Rebel Moon is Snyder’s second major film with Netflix, following his 2021 zombie heist movie Army of the Dead. Rebel Moon hits Netflix on December 22, 2023, but will also have a limited theatrical run similar to Army of the Dead. In Zack Snyder’s new movie — which has already created a flurry of online conversation from the limited teaser footage — a peaceful farming colony in a distant corner of the galaxy comes under attack by the forces of the ruthless warlord and antagonist of Rebel Moon Regent Balisarius.
It is up to a young woman named Kora to recruit warriors from neighboring planets to defend against the attack, and what’s known so far of Rebel Moon promises a fresh and deep sci-fi epic on a similar scale to Dune or Star Wars — and the similarities to the latter aren’t coincidental. Since leaving the DCU, Snyder has built his new empire on Netflix with zombie horror Army of the Dead and prequel Army of Thieves. Snyder continues his working relationship with Netflix with Rebel Moon, based on a script that Snyder co-wrote and featuring a large ensemble cast. While the movie is coming at the end of 2023, limited Rebel Moon updates have begun to drift in, and there’s a lot to unpack with this new Zack Snyder movie on Netflix.
The Latest Rebel Moon News
The latest Rebel Moon updates from Netflix so far have included some brief footage of the upcoming Zack Snyder sci-fi movie thanks to its inclusion in the Netflix 2023 lineup trailer. Several movies were shown in Netflix’s “save the date” sizzle-reel, including Extraction 2, Hearts of Stone, The Killer, Leave the World Behind and Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon. For the first look at Rebel Moon, it was a short clip that showed Djimon Hounsou’s General Titus firing up the troops by demanding, “For all that you love, show them no mercy.” There were also quick clips of soldiers in battle, explosions, and a giant spacecraft landing on the planet.
Rebel Moon Release Date
Unlike many movies in development and production, the Rebel Moon release date was announced early. The movie is a Netflix exclusive, but it will also get a short limited theatrical run as well. The new Zack Snyder movie is set to hit Netflix in the holiday season, and the Rebel Moon release date is December 22, 2023. There is a chance that it could also hit theaters the week before this for a limited engagement for anyone who wants to see it on the big screen if this new Zack Snyder movie follows the path of Army of the Dead. That movie hit on May 14, one week before its Netflix premiere. Red Notice had the same release strategy, hitting theaters for one week on November 5, 2021, and then hitting Netflix on November 12.
Rebel Moon Cast
The Rebel Moon cast includes, among others, Sofia Boutella, Charlie Hunnam, Ray Fisher, Djimon Hounsou, Jena Malone, Corey Stoll, Ed Skrein, Doona Bae, and Cary Elwes. While most of the characters in the film are still unidentified, a number of major characters have been revealed. Sofia Boutella portrays Rebel Moon‘s heroine Kora, while Ray Fisher takes on the role of Blood Axe. Djimon Hounsou portrays General Titus, who commands the armies of Balisarius, played by Ed Skrein (replacing Rupert Friend, who left due to scheduling issues).
Additionally, in Rebel Moon, Anthony Hopkins voices a robot named Jimmy, who had previously been the bodyguard of a vanquished king. Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson also appears in the movie as Hagen. Other characters known to appear in Rebel Moon include a villainous female human-spider hybrid character named Harmada, though it is unknown who portrays the character.
While Cary Elwes role has yet to be revealed, he seems very excited about the new Zack Snyder movie with some Rebel Moon updates of his own. In a recent interview with Screen Rant, Elwes said that the movie will be epic on a scale that Snyder knows how to pull off. Elwes said, “I can’t tell you much, honestly, other than that it’s an epic film. I think that fans will just be so excited when they get a chance to see it. It’s a huge, huge movie, and Zack, as you know, knows how to do epic.“
Rebel Moon Story Details
With the Rebel Moon story taking place in a distant galaxy, this could indicate that the two-word title reveals quite a bit about the film’s story. With Balisarius positioned as a tyrannical regent intent on conquering the peaceful colony, this could lead Kora and the warriors she recruits to her cause to set up a base to plot their strategy against the forces of Balisarius. Snyder’s concept art for Rebel Moon and the bits of footage released by Netflix indicate the film will tell a very interplanetary story.
The world occupied by Kora and her allies could represent the final stronghold in the galaxy against the war waged by Balisarius from planet to planet. In any case, the intergalactic scale of Rebel Moon is sure to be an extremely vast one. In some interesting Rebel Moon updates, Snyder initially conceived of the movie as a standalone Star Wars movie, but his pitch ultimately failed to get off the ground. This led Snyder to modify Rebel Moon‘s story to make it into its own sci-fi universe, and this creates a curious parallel between Snyder and George Lucas through Rebel Moon.
George Lucas created Star Wars out of his failed attempt to make a Flash Gordon movie, modifying the story into its own unique mythos. Like Lucas, Snyder’s work (notably in his DCU films) is heavily influenced by the philosophy of Joseph Campbell and his Hero’s Journey. Snyder also cites Akira Kurosawa and specifically Seven Samurai as a major influence on Rebel Moon. With Kurosawa having also been an influence on Lucas’s creation of Star Wars, Rebel Moon is a kindred spirit in both genre and creation, though Snyder’s distinct style as a filmmaker will undoubtedly help Rebel Moon stand apart from Star Wars.
Rebel Moon Trailer
There is no Rebel Moon trailer yet. While the movie saw a tease in the Netflix 2023 releases trailer, the actual trailer for the new Zack Snyder movie sounds like it has already been cut and is ready to show. While Netflix usually waits until right before the movies and streaming series hits to release a trailer, it looks like Snyder has put together an amazing trailer seven months before the Rebel Moon release date. This comes from co-writer Shay Hatten, who said he has seen the trailer and loves it.
“Zack [Snyder] is editing away, and I’ve seen bits and pieces of it. I’ve seen scenes here and there and a cut of the trailer. I haven’t seen the full movie myself yet, but I’m very, very excited about it. I really feel so lucky to get to work with Zack … And I think with Rebel Moon, people will just see that it’s him really getting to unleash his visual imagination to the fullest extent.”
Rebel Moon Part 2 Has Already Been Confirmed
Some of the latest Rebel Moon news has been around the sequel, Rebel Moon 2. Principal photography on Rebel Moon was actually a back-to-back shoot, with Rebel Moon 2 already completed as part of the production. With the opening salvo of Rebel Moon already producing two movies right out of the gate, it clearly shows that Rebel Moon might be Netflix’s biggest 2023 movie. It also suggests that Snyder, well-known for the long-running times of his movies, may have made his longest film to date with Rebel Moon. It is also interesting to note that Snyder will have R-rated extended versions of the movie as well. Andy Koyama, the sound mixer for the new new Zack Snyder movie said the following (via SlashFilm):
“There’s going to be two films. I think we’re mixing that from June to February. And there’s also going to be extended R-rated versions of each of the two films, so we’re going to be mixing four different features.”
Additionally, the back-to-back shoot of Rebel Moon and Rebel Moon 2 could indicate that the first potentially ends on a cliffhanger, or at least an ending that does not fully resolve the story of the first Rebel Moon and sets up Rebel Moon 2. That also means that the world will likely not have to wait too long after the 2023 holiday season release of Rebel Moon for Rebel Moon 2 to follow. Additionally, Snyder’s plans for the Rebel Moon universe do not end there.
What Zack Snyder Has Planned For Rebel Moon’s Franchise Future
Speaking to THR, Zack Snyder expressed his hope for Rebel Moon to “become a massive IP and universe that can be built out”. While this further clarifies the decision to shoot Rebel Moon and Rebel Moon 2 back-to-back (and helps Rebel Moon avoid WB’s past Snyderverse mistakes), this could be another area where Snyder’s plans for the franchise mirror the evolution of Star Wars. Following the original Star Wars trilogy, the franchise famously moved into the expanded universe, with Star Wars lore being built upon in comic books, video games, and tie-in novels. Rebel Moon could grow in similar ways, while its main home on Netflix could also expand.
While the Star Wars franchise cinematically primarily consists of the nine movies in the Skywalker Saga, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Solo: A Star Wars Story show the potential for individual and in some cases ancillary characters to headline their own spin-off stories. The same is the case for the various Disney+ Star Wars shows like The Mandalorian and animated series like The Clone Wars, and this could be similar to Snyder’s Star Wars-inspired plans for Rebel Moon.
A story on the rise of Balisarius as an intergalactic conqueror, the origin of Boutella’s Kora, or a completely separate story with new characters in the Rebel Moon universe are all possibilities on the table. Like the universe itself, the possibilities for Rebel Moon‘s expansion are limitless. However, the world will have to wait until 2023’s holiday season to see the first chapter of the Rebel Moon franchise and how it kicks off its vast universe in a galaxy far, far away.
