We wanted it to be the new Star Wars, but reality has given us a very weak version of a somewhat interesting story that takes place in a dystopian future millions of light years away from Earth. Critics and fans have torn it apart… and rightfully so.
We have known for months that Netflix will release a new version, the “director’s cut”, of Rebel Moon – Part 1, by Zack Snyder, but we didn’t know until now when the exact release date would be.
Now, we have a clearer idea of when one of the most anticipated Netflix movies of this year (supposedly this version is the good one) will be released, because Snyder has revealed the release window for the R-rated version: mid-2024.
In an interview with the DGA Director’s Cut podcast, Snyder expanded on the longer version of Rebel Moon – Part 1: A Child of Fire, whose PG-13 version premiered on Netflix in late December 2023.
Justifying their Director’s cut before releasing it
“What Netflix has done, and they told me from the beginning – and I had never had this experience before – [was] ‘Why don’t we give you some extra money and set aside scenes and allow you to have the director’s cut in parallel and not be a reaction?” said Snyder.
“And that will be later. In summer, you will be able to see what I proposed to them, basically. And then you will pretend to be the studio executive and say: ‘Wow, I see what they mean’. That’s the whole odyssey.”
So there you have it: the director’s cut of the first installment of Rebel Moon will premiere on the best streaming service in the world this summer (or winter, for those in the southern hemisphere). If you’ve been waiting for Snyder’s R-rated sci-fi epic to take off on the streaming giant, you still have a few months until its release.
What differences will there be between both versions
According to Snyder, his original 200-page script was “problematic” for Netflix, although it is not clear whether he is referring to the original length or that it was too adult-oriented.
Probably both, especially if Netflix wanted a movie for viewers over 13 years old that (certain age) viewers could watch on streaming during the 2023 holidays.
“There was a conversation about whether we should cut it,” Snyder continued in his DGA Director’s Cut podcast talk. “The studio wanted a two-hour movie… [so] we cut the 200-page script in half, and made the [Part 1] final scene a little bigger.”
Previously, Snyder teased that he wanted the director’s cut of Rebel Moon to really test its runtime limits. Combined, the two PG-13 installments of the film would clock in at around four hours.
However, since the director’s cuts last about three hours each, you will have to set aside a whopping six hours to watch them back to back. He has also said that they are completely different movies from the PG-13 editions.
It will be interesting to see how Snyder fans, casual viewers, and critics react to the new version, because one thing that is missing in A Child of Fire’s reviews is people who would wish Rebel Moon was longer.
In fact, many critics are clear that Rebel Moon Part 1 is self-indulgent, so the promise of a longer and less focused version probably won’t make them run excitedly to Netflix to watch it.
Therefore, it is likely that your reaction to the director’s cut will be the same as your reaction to the initial release: if you liked it, you will probably also like the longer version. And if you didn’t think it was one of the best Netflix movies, don’t watch it.
Anyway, if you’re planning on watching, at least, the second part, you’ll be glad to know that Rebel Moon Part 2 will be “action-packed” and will come with a lot of “backstory”.
