Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon to get an exclusive “strictly for adults” cut

While fans already can't seem to get any 'more' excited by the upcoming arrival of Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon, the director certainly has news that would shake the fans up. As previously reported, the film will come in two parts, splitting its estimated three-hour runtime for a more streaming-friendly approach. But it has recently been revealed by the director himself that Rebel Moon will have two versions as well.

Much like Zack Snyder's Justice League, which saw two separate cuts, Rebel Moon will reportedly have two cuts (or four cuts for the two parts of the film), one that "anyone can enjoy and watch," and the other "more explicit and strictly for adults."

Speaking about this second, more unadulterated version of the film, Zack Snyder told Variety:

“I think for fans of mine and people who are ready to take a deeper, harder dive, that’ll be fun for them.”

The grand fantasy adventure will premiere on Netflix on December 22, 2023. It is already one of the most anticipated films of the year.

---

Why did Zack Snyder opt for two separate Rebel Moon parts?

While the news of the separate cuts is new, Rebel Moon was already scheduled to be divided into two parts. This was because the first draft of the script for the film was almost 172 pages long, meaning that the film would clock over three hours. This was not ideal for a Netflix release, according to the streaming giant.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Snyder’s wife, Deborah Snyder, explained:

"[Netflix film chairman Scott] Stuber was like, ‘On the service, under-two-hour movies really do better for some reason,’ even though you’ll binge-watch a series of eight episodes. Zack said, ‘If you ask me to make this less than two hours, I’m going to lose all the character. You won’t care about these people. It’s a character story about how people can change, and redemption, and what are you willing to fight for…’ So he said, ‘What if I give you two movies?’"

According to reports, Snyder originally thought up the idea of Rebel Moon as an addition to the Star Wars universe before the franchise was acquired by Disney. This probed the director to create an original story with the idea that he had.

The result was a grand fantasy that follows an enigmatic young woman living in a peaceful colony on the outskirts of the galaxy. The synopsis for the upcoming film reads:

"A peaceful colony on the edge of the galaxy is threatened by the armies of a tyrannical regent named Balisarius. The desperate civilians dispatch Kora, a young woman who has a mysterious past to seek out warriors from nearby planets to help them challenge the regent."

Rebel Moon cast includes Sofia Boutella, Charlie Hunnam, Ray Fisher, Djimon Hounsou, Jena Malone, Corey Stoll, Ed Skrein, Cleopatra Coleman, Fra Fee, Cary Elwes, and Anthony Hopkins, among others.

The second part of the film was reportedly shot back-to-back with the first one. It should follow up on the first film in some time.

Recently, Snyder's team released some first-look posters for the upcoming film.

More details about Rebel Moon should start pouring in soon.