What do you do if an entire cinematic universe is ripped from your hands after you (with help from executives) botch it up so badly that the entire thing needs to be reset? You go out and make your own new universe. That appears to be what Zack Snyder is doing over at Netflix with his next movie, Rebel Moon, which just landed a release date of December 22, 2023. You can get your first look at the sci-fi actioner in Netflix’s 2023 teaser, cued up to the precise moment below.
Ahead of its December release date, Netflix is describing Rebel Moon as an “epic new universe” from Zack Snyder, meaning they’re probably hoping to turn this one film into a gigantic sci-fi franchise kind of like their attempts to make Army of the Dead into a thing. The film’s plot reads like Zack Snyder 101, with a group of people / aliens banning together to fight a larger, more evil power — most likely in slow motion with a lot of CGI.
The film takes place on the edge of the universe on a peaceful colony planet, which finds itself under attack from the tyrannical Regent Balisarius. In order to save themselves, they dispatch a mysterious girl with an even more mysterious past to collect a team of warriors to stand against this great evil. Judging from the brief glimpse in the preview, there will be plenty of pew pews and other action set in a Wild West-style future that’s taking inspiration from the grittier side of Star Wars, Dune, and maybe even a bit of Firefly.
The movie’s cast is stacked, as big Zack Snyder ensemble films tend to be. It stars Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman, Bae Doona, Ray Fisher, with Charlie Hunnam and Anthony Hopkins as the voice of “Jimmy.” It also stars Cary Elwes, Corey Stoll, Jena Malone, Fra Fee, Cleopatra Coleman, Alfonso Herrera, Stuart Martin, Staz Nair, Sky Yang, Rhian Rees, E. Duffy, and Charlotte Maggi. Snyder wrote the film alongside regular collaborators Kurt Johnstad and Shay Hatten. Snyder is also producing alongside Deborah Snyder, Wesley Coller, and Eric Newman.
Netflix and Snyder are very tight after the success of Army of the Dead and their massive deal to provide Netflix with first looks at any Snyder film. If Rebel Moon takes off upon its December release date, this could be the start of a massive franchise for the streamer, which currently doesn’t have any pure sci-fi film franchises running. The big question is if they’ll give this clearly epic movie any kind of theatrical release given its obvious scope.
