Zack Snyder's Epic Star Wars Pitch: Unveiling the Lucasfilm Rejection & the Ultimate Fan Film Quest
Exploring Zack Snyder's visionary take on a galaxy far, far away Uncover the untold story behind his rejected Star Wars pitch, a cinematic masterpiece that reimagined the epic saga with a captivating blend of space opera and classic samurai themes
Zack Snyder has unveiled his initial presentation to Lucasfilm regarding a potential Star Wars film, shedding light on why the project did not progress. Known primarily for directing superhero movies such as Watchmen, Man of Steel, and Zack Snyder's Justice League, Snyder's most ambitious endeavor to date appears to be his upcoming Netflix film Rebel Moon, which centers around a resilient rebellion battling a despotic ruler. Interestingly, Rebel Moon originated as a Star Wars concept.
During a recent interview featured in the August 2023 edition of Empire magazine, Snyder provides further insight into his unsuccessful Star Wars pitch. He made the pitch to Kathleen Kennedy, the President of Lucasfilm, while working on post-production for the 2013 film Man of Steel. Ultimately, Snyder explains that his vision for the project diverged too significantly from what Lucasfilm envisioned for the Star Wars franchise. The disparity between their respective ideas proved insurmountable. Below, you can find Snyder's reflections on his pitch.
"It was like Seven Samurai, but set in space. I initially envisioned it as a Star Wars movie. I was aware that George Lucas drew inspiration from many Kurosawa films. Being a huge fan of Kurosawa, it seemed like a fitting concept. A straightforward and uncomplicated story, pitting good against evil.
Around the time that Lucasfilm was sold to Disney, there was a period of uncertainty and endless possibilities. I made it clear that I didn't want to work with any existing characters; I wanted to create something completely original. Initially, I even suggested that it should have an R rating, but that idea was not embraced."
It's For The Best That Snyder's Star Wars Didn't Work Out
: It was a daunting proposition from the start. However, as I delved deeper into it, it became clear that my desires were unlikely to align with their vision. It seemed as though they had their own distinct plans for the Star Wars universe. If you happened to have an idea for a Star Wars film, they would prefer you to pursue it as a fan-created project.
While it is clear that Snyder drew inspiration from the same sources that influenced Lucas during the inception of Star Wars, the resulting ideas derived from these shared influences turned out to be distinct. As a director entering a franchise that is not your own, you have the freedom to introduce your own ideas, but you will inevitably be confined to operating within a specific framework.
Snyder's vision for Star Wars would have required compromising on many of his more unconventional ideas in order to work. This may have resulted in a good Star Wars movie, but it would not have been the story he originally intended to tell. Rather than compromising, Snyder held onto his pitch for several years before ultimately transforming it into Rebel Moon.
Based on the trailers for Rebel Moon, it is clear that Snyder has a unique vision for the world of his story. The upcoming film showcases a distinct visual style, and Snyder has shared that he has developed a rich lore for Rebel Moon that could potentially expand beyond his planned two films. While it would have been intriguing to see Snyder's interpretation of Star Wars, his collaboration with Netflix for a completely separate space opera seems like the ideal outcome for his ideas. This way, his vision remains entirely his own, uninfluenced by the limitations of an established franchise.
Source: Empire, August 2023
