2023 might not have been the best year for cinephiles due to the Hollywood strikes, but at least it’s going to end with a bang, thanks to Zack Snyder. Netflix is currently gearing up to release the highly anticipated sci-fi epic, Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire, and the best part is that we will be watching it sooner than we think.
Initially scheduled to release on December 22, the film will now arrive on the streaming platform on December 21 at 7:00 p.m. PT. Though it’s been moved forward by only a few hours, this shift is particularly interesting given that Netflix usually drops new content at midnight.
If we had to guess, we’d say Netflix is trying to emulate traditional television schedules in a bid to create an event-style premiere for the first part of Rebel Moon. This way, it can capture a larger audience and hopefully beat Extraction 2’s record for the biggest opening weekend of the year.
The origins of Rebel Moon are fascinating. It began as a daring concept for a Star Wars film before its evolution into a unique property under Snyder’s visionary guidance. The ambitious space opera is set on Veldt, a relatively peaceful moon settlement that is under threat by Regent Balisarius, a tyrannical Imperium overlord from the Motherworld. Here is where we meet Kora, our hero, who sets out to assemble a team of warriors across the galaxy to fight the forces of the Imperium.
According to Snyder, the decision to split the film into two parts is a well-thought-out strategy. “In Part 1, we spend a lot of time in the village, having this real relationship to the place and people. So that when we actually have to fight and die for them, we care about them.”
Essentially, the upcoming film will place emphasis on world-building and introducing the characters, which helps audiences become emotionally invested in the story. By the time the second film arrives, viewers will be well acquainted with the characters and the world they occupy, heightening the emotional stakes of the ensuing conflict. As Snyder explained, “The end [Part 1] is a crazy cliffhanger that launches you into The Scargiver [Part 2].”
Snyder has also gone the extra mile by preparing two versions of the film: a 134-minute PG-13 theatrical cut with an R-rated director’s cut. The latter will cater to those of us who prefer to make everything we watch a cinematic experience.
Are you excited for Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon, or are you tempering your expectations? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
