Zack Snyder has now put DC behind him, and is forging ahead with his own cinematic universe. His upcoming Netflix original Rebel Moon is coming together nicely, with the project billed as his idiosyncratic take on a Star Wars-style space opera about a ragtag group of warriors coming to the rescue of a beleaguered planet.
With a cast of bizarre and imaginative characters (including Anthony Hopkins as Jimmy, the last member of a race of mechanical knights!) it’s looking pretty damn spectacular. Snyder and Netflix have high hopes that this will kick off a franchise. There’s already a second film confirmed, R-rated cuts on the way, and a wealth of multimedia tie-ins to flesh out the universe.
At this point, Snyder’s epic cinematic style is very well-defined so we think we know what we’re getting with Rebel Moon. But should we temper expectations given that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice looked great in trailers and wound up with 27 percent on Rotten Tomatoes?
Well, there’s one problem here: Batman v Superman rules. Well, we’ll hold our hands up and admit the theatrical cut doesn’t work very well, though Snyder’s Ultimate Edition that arrived later fixed almost all the problems we had with it. Either way, Batman v Superman is filled with some truly mind-blowing superhero action, with our highlights Ben Affleck’s Batman dismantling the criminals threatening Martha Kent, the final battle against Doomsday and, of course, the heavily The Dark Knight Returns-influenced title throwdown.
Batman v Superman‘s reputation has gradually improved over the years as more people check out the Ultimate Edition and realize it’s actually pretty great. Here’s hoping Rebel Moon follows in these footsteps, particularly as Netflix appears to have given Snyder the creative freedom to make the exact movie he wants with his dream cast.
Rebel Moon lands on Netflix on Dec. 22.