Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon: A Mind-Blowing Homage to Star Wars

Zack Snyder's highly-anticipated science fiction film, Rebel Moon, has an interesting origin story. Initially, it was conceived as a Star Wars project before being transformed into an original creation. This mirrors the approach taken by George Lucas when he first developed the Star Wars franchise. In a clever move to avoid copyright infringement, Lucas drew inspiration from the beloved Flash Gordon series when he was unable to secure its film rights. Similarly, Snyder is putting his own spin on the Star Wars universe with Rebel Moon.

Rebel Moon is set to premiere on Netflix on December 22, but the idea has been simmering in Snyder's mind for more than a decade. According to Digital Spy, the concept for Rebel Moon was initially presented to Lucasfilm by Snyder himself. This occurred sometime between the conclusion of Lucas' prequel trilogy in 2005 and Disney's acquisition of the company in 2012, when there were no ongoing Star Wars projects in development. Snyder confidently stated, "Give me the keys and I'll take her for a spin." It's clear that the visionary director was way ahead of the curve, foreshadowing the "Anthology" format that the Star Wars franchise would later adopt under Disney's ownership, producing new movies on a regular basis.

Snyder had initially conceived a spacebound reimagining of Seven Samurai, drawing inspiration from Akira Kurosawa's classic samurai films. However, he desired to create a standalone film in the Star Wars universe that did not rely on pre-existing characters or storylines. A few years ago, Snyder made it known that he was reworking his Star Wars idea into an original sci-fi story, independent of the Star Wars universe. He explained, "I've been working on it as a separate sci-fi project, detached from Star Wars... It's still a sci-fi story, just not tied to Star Wars. The younger version of myself still yearns to bring it to life." By altering the characters' names and refining the worldbuilding, it became effortlessly possible to transform the film into an original narrative.

George Lucas Originally Wanted To Make A Flash Gordon Movie

According to Dale Pollock's book, Skywalking: The Life and Films of George Lucas, George Lucas attempted to produce a Flash Gordon film during the 1970s. However, he faced the obstacle of not being able to obtain the film rights from producer Dino De Laurentiis. Consequently, Lucas took matters into his own hands and decided to craft his own space adventure centered around a courageous young protagonist who rebels against the tyrannical rule of an evil intergalactic dictator. Surprisingly, Lucas's creation surpassed the popularity of Flash Gordon. Interestingly, a Flash Gordon film was eventually produced subsequent to the massive success of Star Wars, which became the highest-grossing film at that time. As a result, numerous studios in Hollywood jumped on the space-themed movie bandwagon, hoping to replicate the triumph of Star Wars.

According to Netflix's official plot synopsis, Rebel Moon retains Snyder's original Star Wars concept by presenting a tale akin to Seven Samurai set in outer space. The story unfolds in a universe under the control of the corrupt government of the Mother World. The moon called Veldt faces impending danger from the army of the Mother World known as the Imperium, led by the sinister Regent Balisarius. Portraying the character Kora, Sofia Boutella strives for redemption as a former member of the Imperium, determined to rectify her past mistakes. To counteract the imminent threat, she embarks on a galaxy-spanning journey to assemble a formidable team of elite warriors, preparing to confront the antagonistic forces before they unleash havoc once more.

Star Wars has always drawn inspiration from various sources, such as The Hidden Fortress, fairy tales, mythology, the Arthurian legend, and Nazi propaganda. The famous podracing sequence in The Phantom Menace was influenced by the chariot races in Ben-Hur. Anakin's character has been likened to Shakespearean tragic heroes like Hamlet and Othello. The conflicting eyewitness accounts in The Last Jedi mirror the narrative technique used in Rashomon. The Mandalorian incorporates elements from the Lone Wolf and Cub series, where a seasoned warrior mentors a vulnerable child. In "Chapter 4: Sanctuary" of The Mandalorian, Star Wars presents its own interpretation of Seven Samurai.

According to Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder's wife and producing partner, Rebel Moon is a culmination of his past work. Although it was not originally planned to be set in the Star Wars universe, it will be intriguing to witness Snyder's take on a distant galaxy. Given Disney's extensive involvement in the official Star Wars movies, filmmakers may find better creative control by transforming their Star Wars idea into an original story. Rebel Moon will grant Snyder more artistic autonomy than a traditional Star Wars film would have allowed.