Headed our way at the end of the year, the first part of Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon promises action-packed sci-fi and a clash between scrappy guerrilla fighters and a tyrannical force looking to stamp its order all over a galaxy. But if you like your Snyder movies more intense, he's ready to deliver on that front too, planning two different cuts of the film; one suitable for audiences the others more for adults.
Talking to Vanity Fair's Anthony Breznican about the films — yes, there are two, more on that in a moment – Snyder explained that one version will be something "that anyone can enjoy and watch," followed by one later that is more mature. "I think for fans of mine and people who are ready to take a deeper, harder dive, that’ll be fun for them."
The basic concept for this one finds Sofia Boutella as Kora, a warrior with a past who rallies (and finds extra help for) the natives of an agricyultural moon called Veldt when the powerful Imperium decides that it'll be perfect as the latest supply world.
As for the fact that it'll be two movies? That was decided after Snyder submitted his original script. "Originally, the script was one movie, but it was in 'Zack form,'" says wife and longtime producing partner, Deborah Snyder. "It was 172 pages." Which would have meant nearly three hours of movie, something that didn't completely sit well with Netflix film chairman Scott Stuber. "Stuber was like, 'On the service, under-two-hour movies really do better for some reason,' even though you’ll binge-watch a series of eight episodes," Snyder continues. "Zack said, 'If you ask me to make this less than two hours, I’m going to lose all the character. You won’t care about these people. It’s a character story about how people can change, and redemption, and what are you willing to fight for…' So he said, 'What if I give you two movies?'"
With the first movie due on 22 December, the other is likely to follow sooner than a traditional studio release.