Zack Snyder knew making Rebel Moon as a Star Wars movie was a “big ask”

Zack Snyder may not seem like the right guy for a Star Wars movie, so thankfully his upcoming two-part space epic Rebel Moon sits outside of that galaxy. But that wasn’t always the intention, as Snyder wanted in on the franchise, although stipulations forced him to create his own universe.

Via a new cover story for Empire, Zack Snyder explained the circumstances that led to Rebel Moon becoming its own potential saga, leaving the Star Wars brand in the desert. “The sale [of Lucasfilm to Disney] had just happened…There was that window where, you know, who knows what’s possible? I was like, ‘I don’t want any of your characters. I don’t want to do anything with any known characters, I just want to do my own thing on the side.’ And originally I was like, ‘It should be rated R!’ That was almost a non-starter…I knew it was a big ask, to be honest…But the deeper I got into it, I realised it was probably never going to be what I wanted.”

Snyder added his intention for his upcoming movies was, “It was Seven Samurai in space,” referring to Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 epic…“And a Star Wars movie was my original concept for it.” The link between Star Wars and Rebel Moon will be obvious to many, as George Lucas took partial influence from the works of Kurosawa himself, namely 1958’s The Hidden Fortress.

Here’s what viewers can expect with Rebel Moon, plot-wise: “A small peaceful colony on the outskirts of the galaxy is targeted by the insidious Imperium (embodied by a deliciously evil Skrein). But they won’t be facing down the forces of darkness on their own. A team of intrepid warriors will soon come to their aid and turn the tide against the interplanetary interlopers.” The cast includes Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Charlie Hunnam, Michiel Huisman, and Anthony Hopkins as the voice of Jimmy, a robot with antlers.

The first part of Rebel Moon arrives on Netflix on December 22nd, with a limited theatrical run also in the pipeline. And yes, there are already plans for The Snyder Cut of both installments.

Are you looking forward to Rebel Moon? How do you think Zack Snyder would have handled a Star Wars movie? Let us know below!