The Expansive Universe of Rebel Moon: Zack Snyder's Sci-Fi Epic

The Grand Vision of Rebel Moon

Rebel Moon's lore could literally fill a book. Director Zack Snyder teases plans for a detailed sourcebook that could explain the history of his latest sci-fi epic. Originally beginning as a pitch for a more mature Star Wars movie, Snyder would instead continue to develop his story into an expansive universe of his own imagining. Featuring multiple worlds inhabited by a wide range of species, cybernetic assassins, and robotic knights, Snyder’s plans for his latest franchise include additional sequels beyond 2024’s Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver, an animated series, spinoff comic books, and a narrative podcast.

The cast of Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire in line in a promo image.

Speaking with Inverse, Snyder reveals that he is still in the process of expanding the franchise’s lore with his co-writers Kurt Johnstad and Shay Hatten and hopes to eventually publish a book that will serve as “The Great History of the Motherworld.” Suggesting that his franchise’s backstory dates as far back as its origin myths and charts the formation of the galaxy’s royal family, Snyder says the sheer volume of information will necessitate the release of such a book. Check out his comments below:

Challenges and Comparisons

Despite an expansive premise based on some of the most beloved and celebrated movies in cinema history, the recent debut of Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire largely failed to resonate with critics who accused the movie of being too derivative and failing to adequately develop its cast of characters. Nonetheless, the initial viewership numbers released by Netflix indicate that the movie is still attracting a sizable audience, and it currently sits among the top 10 movies on the platform.

While many of the criticisms Rebel Moon’s first chapter faced may eventually be addressed with Snyder’s planned R-rated director’s cut, perhaps the future of the franchise may be best served if the director follows the precedent set by George Lucas’ approach to the original Star Wars trilogy. While Lucas would direct 1977’s Star Wars: A New Hope himself, he would later turn over directorial duties on The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi to Irvin Kershner and Richard Marquand, a decision which allowed him to assume a more hands-on approach toward overseeing the shape and direction of franchise as well as its evolving special effects technology.

The Future of Rebel Moon

George Lucas also planned to hand over directing the Star Wars prequel trilogy, approaching Robert Zemeckis, Steven Spielberg and Ron Howard before taking the role on himself. Though Snyder is a very different kind of filmmaker than Lucas and is not burdened with having to simultaneously launch his own visual effects company, perhaps his wide-reaching vision for the Rebel Moon franchise would benefit from collaborating with other successful filmmakers.

While Snyder could continue to play a central role in shaping the direction of the property and expanding upon its already detailed lore, the addition of other creative voices could potentially help to better refine his expansive concept and take the potential of the series far beyond its initial hesitant steps.