Rebel Moon was originally pitched to Lucasfilm as a Star Wars movie shortly after Disney had acquired the studio. It was during that period a new sequel trilogy was announced along with ambitious spin-off plans (though only one of those, Solo: A Star Wars Story, became a reality).
While it sounds like Kathleen Kennedy seriously considered moving forward with the Watchmen helmer's pitch, Snyder was busy with his DC movies and the response to those likely played a role in why his Star Wars project fell by the wayside.
However, the filmmaker has been able to reimagine that concept for Netflix's Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire and Rebel Moon: Part Two - The Scargiver.
Talking to Den of Geek, star Ed Skrein reflected on how Snyder pitched the movies to him: "Zack told me, 'It’s like Star Wars but with violence, sex, and swearing.'" Sounds fun, right?
The filmmaker, who will also release an R-Rated "Snyder Cut," adds: "Star Wars' fanbase basically aged with the movies, and then they had children that then also became fans of the movies, and their children had children who became fans of the movie."
"I do understand the love of Star Wars, how canonized it is...and actually how immobile it is. That’s why I’m here now doing Rebel Moon the way I’m doing it, because we really have no rules except for the ones we make."
It's hard to imagine Snyder enjoying the restrictions that would have come with being part of the Star Wars franchise and based on what we saw in the first Rebel Moon trailer, he's been completely unleashed with this two-part sci-fi epic.
When a peaceful colony on the edge of a galaxy finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger living among the villagers, becomes their best hope for survival.
Tasked with finding trained fighters who will unite with her in making an impossible stand against the Mother World, Kora assembles a small band of warriors — outsiders, insurgents, peasants and orphans of war from different worlds who share a common need for redemption and revenge.
As the shadow of an entire Realm bears down on the unlikeliest of moons, a battle over the fate of a galaxy is waged, and in the process, a new army of heroes is formed.
Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire is set to be released on December 22.