The ‘Snyder cut’ is now as in/famous as the entire execution of Sucker Punch. Zack Snyder likes to make his films extremely long. That may make the regular audiences groan, but his fans gobble it all up with satisfaction. So, it isn’t surprising that the deep-space epic he is making for Netflix, Rebel Moon, will now be a two-parter. But the decision to split it in two may have something to do with how Netflix audiences like to view their films.
Snyder’s upcoming space opera is based on a screenplay co-written by Snyder, Shay Hatten, and Kurt Johnstad. Snyder and Johnstad created the story. Rebel Moon is produced by The Stone Quarry and Grand Electric, with distribution handled by Netflix.
Set in a dieselpunk world, Rebel Moon is “a sprawling menagerie of planets, full of cyborg warriors with molten-metal swords, giant half-humanoid arachnids, and ancient robots that seem to have emerged more from mediaeval times than the future,” as revealed by Snyder to Vanity Fair.
In short, there is enough scope for a franchise there. But another reason for Netflix to push for a two-parter—which will be released close to each other, unlike regular sequels—is viewer preference. Synder mentioned that Netflix prefers movies under two hours because that’s what its subscribers like. Despite viewers’ inclination to binge-watch multiple TV episodes consecutively, films are a different ball game.
Netflix requested Snyder to trim the initial runtime of Rebel Moon. However, Snyder believed reducing the duration would compromise the film’s integrity. To address this, he proposed splitting it into two movies. Even the shorter two-part movies involve an intriguing compromise. Each movie release will have two versions: one suitable for all ages and another aligned with Snyder’s vision, containing violence, swearing, gore, and nudity.
The film boasts an impressive ensemble cast, including Sofia Boutella, Charlie Hunnam, Michiel Huisman, Djimon Hounsou, Doona Bae, Ray Fisher, Cleopatra Coleman, Jena Malone, Fra Fee, Ed Skrein, and Anthony Hopkins.
We’ll have to wait until December 22nd for the official release of Rebel Moon part one to witness how this unfolds.
