Credit: Warner Bros.People are getting sick of Zack Snyder’s “director’s cut” shenanigans.
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Director Zack Snyder has been a mainstay of the DC Extended Universe for many years and has built a rather dedicated fan following as a result.
Now, it appears that fan goodwill is turning following Snyder’s recent comments about his new big-budget Netflix movie Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire (2023) — and his insistence on a lengthy director’s cut.
Why Was Zack Snyder So Beloved?
Named after filmmaker Zack Snyder, the “Snyderverse” comprises a series of DCEU films owned by Warner Bros., released from 2013 to 2021. Man of Steel (2013) introduced Henry Cavill as Superman, delving into his origin story and internal struggles. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) featured Ben Affleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne and Cavill as Superman/Clark Kent, exploring their clash of ideologies. Gal Gadot made her debut as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in this film, setting the stage for her standalone adventures.
Lastly, and perhaps most famously, Snyder’s Justice League (2021) brought together Cavill, Affleck, Gadot, Jason Momoa as Aquaman/Arthur Curry, Ray Fisher as Cyborg/Vic Stone AKA Victor Stone, and Ezra Miller as The Flash/Barry Allen. This star-studded ensemble joined forces to confront the antagonist Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) and, in the extended “Snyder Cut”, Darkseid (Ray Porter). These films, upon release, created substantial excitement, capturing the global audience’s attention and establishing a particularly vocal fan base with their flashy, gritty aesthetic.
Nevertheless, this era of the DC films world is officially concluded, and the now DC Universe is undergoing a comprehensive overhaul in the newly rebranded DC Studios, spearheaded by James Gunn and Peter Safran.
Before the complete restructuring unfolds, however, Warner Bros. Discovery still had to release its last DCEU films from the pre-Gunn era. These include Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which premiered on March 17, The Flash movie on June 16, starring Ezra Miller, followed by Blue Beetle on August 18, 2023, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom on December 25, 2023.
Snyder’s New Movie — And the Backlash
Rebel Moon, or Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire, is a 2023 space opera film directed by Zack Snyder, originally conceived as a Star Wars movie that The Walt Disney Company and Lucasfilm ultimately did not follow through with being made.
Related: James Gunn Explains “Worst Elements of Recent Superhero Films”, as Fans Call Him Out
Rebel Moon takes place on the Motherworld, in a galaxy dominated by a conquest-borne militaristic empire. Princess Issa, possessing a rare healing gift, is seen as a hope for redemption, but her family, the King (Cary Elwes) and Queen (Rhian Rees), are publicly assassinated during her coronation. Balisarius (Fra Fee), a senator, declares himself Regent, renewing conquests with Admiral Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein).
On the moon Veldt, Noble demands resources from villagers, leading to a brutal encounter with Kora (Sofia Boutella), a former Imperium soldier. Kora, joined by farmer Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), seeks the Bloodaxe rebels’ aid against Noble, revealing her tragic past. Assembling a diverse warrior team, they face betrayal, loss, and a final confrontation with Noble, whose survival prompts a demand from Balisarius to end the insurgency and bring Kora for execution.
The cast additionally includes Djimon Hounsou as Titus, Doona Bae as Nemesis, Ray Fisher as Darrian Bloodaxe, Charlie Hunnam as Kai, Anthony Hopkins as the voice of Jimmy, Staz Nair as Tarak, Cleopatra Coleman as Devra, and others. The plot involves betrayal, insurgency, and a quest for redemption, as Kora confronts her past and leads a diverse group of rebels against the oppressive regime.
One Take News shared a snippet of Snyder’s recent Associated Press (AP) interview, going viral online and garnering a series of upset responses from members of the public:
Zack Snyder says the director’s cut of ‘REBEL MOON – PART ONE: A CHILD OF FIRE’ is a “completely different movie” from a “different universe”.
“I always wanted [Rebel Moon] to be rated R, but you realize this sort of scale and cost of a movie and say, ‘Well, it’s not 100% responsible to have that demand.’”
(via https://youtu.be/SPDHsL9hWas?si=Lstj82WtS7AyxTXA)
Zack Snyder says the director’s cut of ‘REBEL MOON – PART ONE: A CHILD OF FIRE’ is a “completely different movie” from a “different universe”.
“I always wanted [Rebel Moon] to be rated R, but you realize this sort of scale and cost of a movie and say, ‘Well, it’s not 100%… pic.twitter.com/MkabGElcSa
— One Take News (@OneTakeNews) December 19, 2023
Fans like @girlindy appear confused about this decision, expressing critique of Snyder constantly relying on needing a “super long, director’s cut” to embody the “real vision” of the film — after the initial release — as “absurd”:
I don’t understand why this man can’t put all his effort into making the best possible theatrical cut of a movie. The constant need to have a super long, directors cut for the real vision of the movie is absurd.
I don’t understand why this man can’t put all his effort into making the best possible theatrical cut of a movie. The constant need to have a super long, directors cut for the real vision of the movie is absurd.
— Mara (@girlyindy) December 19, 2023
Meanwhile, @juicermv called Snyder out for releasing “shitty movies” and brought up how the director constantly appears ready to “cry about there being a better cut somewhere”:
This guy has a weird track record of releasing shitty movies and then crying about there being a better cut somewhere. Why not just release the movie like it was supposed to be in the first place?
This guy has a weird track record of releasing shitty movies and then crying about there being a better cut somewhere. Why not just release the movie like it was supposed to be in the first place?
— Juicer (@juicermv) December 19, 2023
Users like @Youngstar99999 called this decision “stupid”, saying:
That’s stupid. Why would you not show the best version possible?
That's stupid. Why would you not show the best version possible?
— Youngstar (@Youngstar99999) December 19, 2023
Clearly, it can be seen that fan patience with this particular approach to movie release is wearing thin. Based on this rather intense backlash, perhaps Netflix and Snyder ought to rethink this approach — consider the upcoming Rebel Moon: Part Two – The Scargiver is headed to screens in 2024.
Work is underway on further chapters of the narrative, and the script for the third film is currently in progress as of December 2023. Zack Snyder’s precise vision for the series duration remains uncertain, as he has mentioned that the initial two-part installment marks the start of a trilogy. However, he has also alluded to a “trilogy of sequels,” suggesting a total of four films.
What do you think about Zack Snyder’s favored “director’s cut” approach? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
Watch the full video interview here with Rebel Moon director Snyder here: