Director Zack Snyder Talks ‘Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver.’
Premiering on Netflix April 19th is ‘Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver,’ which is a sequel to ‘Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire’ and was once again directed by Zack Snyder (‘Watchmen,’ ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’).
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director and cinematographer Zack Snyder about his work on ‘Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver,’ creating the overall story, knowing where to split ‘A Child of Fire’ and ‘Scargiver’ into two different films, Kora’s journey, working with Sofia Boutella, shooting the battle sequences, and the future of the franchise.
Zack Snyder attends the Netflix’s Tudum: A Global Fan Event 2023 at Fundação Bienal de São Paulo on June 17, 2023 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo by Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images for NETFLIX.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about developing the overall story for these two films, when you realized it was too much story for one movie, and how you decided where to split the two films?
Zack Snyder: When Kurt (Johnstad) and Shay (Hatten) and I were working on the script, even as I was pitching it with Netflix in our early days, we knew we were over 220 pages for the script. We cut it down to the version that you see, and it was still a good solid two hours and the director’s cuts are a solid three hours each, so it’s a lot of material, obviously. So, I knew early on that we were going to have to cut it and we knew we had Gondival in the middle of the movie and that run-in with Noble, and so that was where we kind of thought, “Okay, that’s a good spot.” Kora has a small victory, but it’s a false victory and we felt like that would be a good place to break it. The truth is that I think once you see ‘Part Two,’ you’ll really understand that it’s one story.
(L to R) Sofia Boutella as Kora and Director/writer/producer Zack Snyder on the set of ‘Rebel Moon.’ Cr. Clay Enos/Netflix © 2023.
MF: Can you talk about how Kora has changed from the first film, the importance of seeing this story through her eyes, and what it’s been like for you working with Sofia Boutella on these two movies?
ZS: First, I’ll just say Sofia’s an incredible partner and an incredible actress, and I trust her incredibly with the work and really rely on her physicality and her emotional strength. She’s just amazing. Also, I really feel like her story is an incredible story of redemption. You’ll find out in ‘Part Two” why she’s on the run, what she’s done and the importance that this kind of sacrifice has for her. How far she would be willing to go to be redeemed, I think is really an incredible and fun thing that she really personifies incredibly well.
Director/writer/producer Zack Snyder on the set of ‘Rebel Moon.’ Photo: Clay Enos/Netflix © 2023.
MF: In addition to directing, you are also the cinematographer on ‘Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver.’ Can you talk about shooting the battle sequences and was it physically and emotionally challenging for you to do both?
ZS: Yeah, thankfully, I’m supported by this guy named John Clothier, who’s an incredible camera operator who I’ve been working with since ‘Watchmen,’ and he is an amazing resource. He’s the A camera operator, I’m the B camera operator, and so we work really in partnership. But during the battle sequences, all those explosions and stuff, we were just right in them, in the heart of them, getting plastered with dirt and debris every day. So yeah, it was really taxing and difficult for us to photograph, but super fun, rewarding and I wouldn’t do it any other way. It’s just like when you are in the trenches, literally with the guy’s filming, you really understand just what physically is happening and what emotionally needs to happen because you’re just right there and so it’s a kind of cool way to make a movie.
Sofia Boutella as Kora in ‘Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver.’ Photo: Clay Enos/Netflix © 2023.
MF: Finally, are there more stories that you want to tell in the ‘Rebel Moon’ universe, and what is the future of the franchise?
ZS: Sure, absolutely. I would love to make some more ‘Rebel Moon’ movies. I mean, right now we’re trying to set up to make this little movie that I’ve been working on, so I might go do that, just as a palate cleanser. But in the end, I think the ‘Rebel Moon’ universe has some stories left in it, obviously based on the end of this movie.
The rebels gear up for battle against the Motherworld as unbreakable bonds are forged, heroes emerge — and legends are made. Read the Plot
What is the plot of ‘Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver’?
Kora (Sofia Boutella) and the surviving warriors prepare to fight and defend their new homeworld Veldt against the Motherworld.
Who is in the cast of ‘Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver’?
(L to R) Director/writer/producer Zack Snyder and producer Deborah Snyder on the set of ‘Rebel Moon.’ Photo: Clay Enos/Netflix © 2023.