Zack Snyder’s new sci-fi epicRebel Moonwas originally pitched as aStar Warsmovie before being retooled as an original property, which calls back to George Lucas’ creation of theStar Warsfranchise itself in an interesting way. It’s in the spirit ofStar Warsto homage a beloved franchise with enough minor changes to avoid a copyright infringement. Lucas first createdStar Warswhen he failed to secure the film rights toFlash Gordon. Just as Lucas made aFlash Gordonmovie under a new name, Snyder is making aStar Warsmovie under a new name.
Rebel Moonis set to be released on Netflix on December 22, but it’s been rattling around Snyder’s head for over a decade. According toDigital Spy,Rebel Moonbegan its development as aStar Warsmovie that Snyder pitched to Lucasfilm. Snyder pitched to Lucasfilm sometime between the end of Lucas’ prequel trilogy in 2005 and Disney’s acquisition of the company in 2012, when there were no otherStar Warsmovies in active development. Snyder said, “My idea was just, give me the keys and I’ll take her for a spin.” The300director was ahead of the curve on the “Anthology” format that theStar Warsfranchise would adopt when it was acquired by the Mouse House and started pumping out new movies annually.
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Snyder planned to go back to Lucas’ original source of inspiration –the classic samurai films of Akira Kurosawa– with a spacebound reimagining ofSeven Samurai. He didn’t want to use any existing characters or storylines in hisStar Warsmovie; he just wanted to make a standalone film set in a galaxy far, far away. A couple of years ago, Snyder confirmed he was retooling hisStar Warspitch as an original story: “I’ve been working on it, just away from theStar Warsuniverse, just on my own, just as a sci-fi thing… It’s still a sci-fi thing, it’s the same story. Now, I’m lettingStar WarsbeStar Wars. 11-year-old me still wants to make that.” It was easy enough to reimagine the film as an original story by changing the characters’ names and tweaking the worldbuilding.
George Lucas Originally Wanted To Make A Flash Gordon Movie
In his bookSkywalking: The Life and Films of George Lucas, Dale Pollock wrote that Lucas tried tomake aFlash Gordonmoviein the 1970s, but he was unable to secure the film rights from producer Dino De Laurentiis. So, Lucas decided to create his own spacefaring saga about a plucky young hero rising up against the oppressive forces of an evil intergalactic dictator, and it became even bigger thanFlash Gordon. Ironically, aFlash Gordonmovie finally got made afterStar Warsbecame the highest-grossing film ever made and every studio in Hollywood churned out a movie set in space in the hope of scoring their ownStar Wars-like success.
Based on the official plot synopsis released by Netflix,Rebel Moonis maintaining Snyder’s originalStar Warspremise to tell aSeven Samuraistory in space.Rebel Moontakes place in a universe controlled by the crooked government of the Mother World. A moon called Veldt is under threat from the Mother World’s army, the Imperium, led by the villainous Regent Balisarius.Sofia Boutella starsas Kora, a former member of the Imperium seeking redemption for her past mistakes. She travels across the galaxy and assembles a team of elite warriors to prepare to make a stand against the bad guys before they return.
Star Warshas always borrowed from other stories. Not only is Lucas’ original 1977 masterpiecea loose remake ofThe Hidden Fortress; it also draws influence from fairy tales, mythology, the Arthurian legend, and Nazi propaganda.The Phantom Menace’s iconic podracing sequence was inspired by the chariot races inBen-Hur. Anakin has been compared to Shakespearean tragic heroes like Hamlet and Othello. The unreliable narrators ofThe Last Jedireference the conflicting eyewitness accounts ofRashomon.The Mandalorianborrows its formula of a grizzled warrior taking a vulnerable child under his wing from the fan-favoriteLone Wolf and Cubseries.Star Warseven offered up its own interpretation ofSeven SamuraiinThe Mandalorianepisode “Chapter 4: Sanctuary.”
Snyder’s wife and producing partner, Deborah Snyder, toldEmpiremagazine thatRebel Moonis “an accumulation of everything he’s done thus far.” It’ll be interesting to see Snyder’s vision of a galaxy far, far away, even if the movie isn’t set in theStar Warsuniverse as originally planned. Givenhow much meddling Disney has been doingwith the officialStar Warsmovies, a filmmaker’s best bet at having creative control over their space opera is to rework theirStar Warsidea as an original story. Snyder will have a lot more autonomy overRebel Moonthan he would’ve had over a properStar Warsmovie.
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