Zack Snyder's new science fiction film, Rebel Moonis very similar to the films in the saga war of starswhich is not surprising: it was originally designed as such.
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Shining swords, supernatural creatures, spaceships, battle scenes in a distant galaxy: everything comes together in the legendary saga of George Lucas.
But when Zack Snyder presented his idea to the production company Lucasfilm about ten years ago, it was rejected. The director of 300 and Watchmen then decided to create his own mythological universe.
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“When it became clear that this wasn't going to work, my wife and producer Deborah said to me, 'That's the best news you could have had,'” recalls Zack Snyder.
He then begins a creative process that is “exhausting and very lengthy,” but “incredibly rewarding because it gives you the opportunity to deconstruct the icons and clichés of science fiction that we are used to.”
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The result could be the most daring work in a career as popular as it was controversial, with a remake of George Romero's classic Zombie and a reimagining of world-famous superheroes like Superman and Batman in the films Man of Steel and Justice League.
“Zack’s New World”
The first part of Rebel Moon, a $160 million gamble titled Rebel Moon – Part 1: Child of Fire, will be released on Netflix on December 22nd and the second part is scheduled for April.
The film follows Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger whose spaceship crashes on the edge of the universe. She then defends the villagers who took her in, forming an unlikely duo with a farmer.
Kora will raise an army of fighters to protect her, ranging from insurgents to arrogant mercenaries.
While some characters may seem familiar, the actors insist they don't belong to any known universe.
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“I don't think anyone on set said the words 'Star and Wars,'” quips Ed Skrein, who plays the villainous Admiral Atticus Noble. “We never talked about it.”
For the film, Zack Snyder created detailed personal stories for each of the characters, each planet and even the ships. Three languages, cultures and beliefs were also created for the film universe.
“From the beginning, it was clear to us that Zack had a whole world and a universe that he wanted to create and that he had been working on for decades,” said actor Michiel Huisman. “It’s Zack’s new world.”
Violence and sexuality
One of the big differences between Rebel Moon and Star Wars is the more adult tone of Zack Snyder's film, between violence and sexuality, like the first scene, which takes place in a brothel.
These themes will be even more present in another version of the director's film, which will be released next summer.
“Right now, in the current version, it's more of a touch of danger or an exotic element,” says Zack Snyder.
To accompany the film, Netflix has already announced the release of a video game, a comic and an animated film.
The director hopes that his universe, like Star Wars, will survive for a long time. “My dream is to follow the story to the end. That’s what motivates me the most.”