Zack Synder, director of Netflix sci-fi Rebel Moon, has recently shared how a rejection ultimately brought his visions of a new universe to life.
Over a decade ago, the Batman v Superman director pitched it to Disney as a Star Wars film but was turned down. Synder said this was for the better, having released the franchise on Netflix.
“We actually were able to sort of customise the worlds and everything to tell the story a little bit better rather than sort of be given whatever’s there,” he told Sky’s Backstage podcast. “So I find it really great.”
Synder, known for his extensive director cuts, was given the freedom to release two instalments, each PG-13 rated and longer R-rated versions on the streamer.
“I’m super proud of the PG-13 version, the broader audience version, because I would say it really satisfies an awesome, timeless, mythological scope,” Snyder said.
The appetite for R-rated fantasy, comic-inspired films has been the subject of much debate, particularly as audiences continue to clamber for an “Ayer cut” of Suicide Squad.
Synder’s cut will feature more violence and add an hour to the runtime. He said that throughout his directorial career, he’s found that the director’s cuts of his films are “universally considered better” than the tamer theatrical releases.
Watch the trailer for Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire below:
