Summary
While Zack Snyder’sRebel Moonhas been embattled since its debut, the creative’s signature move is about to be invoked on the sci-fi newcomer, and this might be the most radical application of this creative choice yet.
Rebel Moonis the latest project by popular filmmaker and former DCEU mastermindZack Snyder, withSnyder teaming with Netflix for theStar Wars-inspiredprojectthat he initially pitched to LucasFilm before its Disney acquisition and subsequent revitalization of the franchise. Envisioned asa darker, grittier story set in the galaxy far, far away,Rebel Moon would find confidence at Netflix, setting an initial release that would eventually be announced as two films,Rebel Moon-Part One: A Child of Fire & Part Two: The Scargiver.
Despite the hype, both films were released to disappointing ratings among both fans and critics, with the general consensus being thatZack Snyder’s signature style works against him on Rebel Moon. However, the director announced that both parts would be getting his now-infamous director’s cut treatment to give fans the definitiveRebel Moonexperience, and recent developments seem to suggest that this might be his boldest move yet. As seen onFilm Ratings, the extended cut forRebel Moon-Part One: A Child of Firehas seen quite a few changes already, picking up the new titleRebel Moon - Chapter One: Chalice Of Bloodand an R rating due to “brutal, bloody violence and gore, sexual content, graphic nudity and language.” This change will likely also be seen in the second installment as well,marking a massive departure from the original PG-13 rating of the first releases.
Rebel Moon’s Extended Cut Will Offer So Much More To Fans
While it was made known thatZack Snyder’sRebel Moondirector’s cuts won’t just be deleted scenesdue to Netflix okaying them from the get-go, this new rating and even the more graphic title switch seem to indicate thatSnyder’s upcoming extended cuts will be his most ambitious move as a director to date.Taking the PG-13 films and making them both R-rated while also adding a reported hour or more to the runtime of each seems like a surefire way to change the nature of the fan experience entirely.
However, there’s no ignoring the elephant in the room, which is the terrible reception to the original releases, with criticism touching pretty much every part of the projects. Taking this issue into consideration, it might be the case that the purported changes and additions might not be enough to change the fate of the franchise. Snyder would have to craft a fundamentally different story that casts the performances and plotlines already seen in a whole new light, and that’s a demonstrably herculean task.
In the end, the idea thatSnyder’sRebel Moonlooks like too much and not enoughat the same time has been widely agreed on since before the first film was released, with that coming to fruition in the massive scope of the project undercut by a lack of substance that appeals to viewers. Fans can really only wait to see just how much more Snyder’s vision has to give andwhat this new release will do for a franchise that’s gotten off to such a rough startwhile simultaneously promising much, much more to come.
TheRebel Moonfranchise is currently available to stream on Netflix, while the extended cuts are tentatively set for release in the summer of 2024.
