Rebel Moon will brighten up your holidays. Zack Snyder’s sci-fi action epic is set to stream on Netflix on Dec. 22. Snyder’s flick is just one of 49 movies Netflix is releasing in 2023, including Extraction 2, The Archies and David Fincher’s The Killer.
Following a mysterious young woman and some interplanetary warriors fighting a tyrannical space dictator, Rebel Moon stars Sofia Boutella, Charlie Hunnam, Djimon Hounsou, Ray Fisher, Doona Bae, Jena Malone and the voice of Anthony Hopkins. Perhaps ironically, this space opera action flick fills the gap left by the absence of a Star Wars movie this Christmas. Ironic, because Rebel Moon began as a Star Wars idea that the director of Army of the Dead and Justice League pitched to Lucasfilm and that was rejected.
Disney had planned to release Rogue Squadron in late 2023, but then seemed to be replacing it in the calendar with another Star Wars movie, from Mandalorian and Thor director Taika Waititi. However, as yet there’s no sign of either film. Which leaves the way clear for Rebel Moon to grab fans of space opera blockbusters this Christmas.
Although Netflix hasn’t said anything about a theatrical release, the streamer did have some success with Glass Onion in the same time slot last year. The Knives Out sequel with Daniel Craig was released in theaters in November before a Christmas streaming release.
This year’s big holidays blockbusters in theaters are Dune Part 2 and the Hunger Games prequel in November, followed by Wonka, Ghostbusters and Aquaman in December.
When Rebel Moon was first announced, Snyder described the film’s tone as a “mature take” on Star Wars, echoing his darker vision of the DC comics universe seen in films like his four-hour Justice League Snyder Cut. Like Star Wars, Rebel Moon draws inspiration from Japanese director Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 film Seven Samurai, which in turn inspired The Magnificent Seven and another Star Wars ripoff, 1980’s Battle Beyond the Stars.
The Rebel Moon cast also includes Cary Elwes, Corey Stoll, Staz Nair, E. Duffy, Charlotte Maggi, Sky Yang, Rupert Friend and Stuart Martin from Netflix’s Army of the Dead spinoff Army of Thieves.
