How Rebel Moon 1 & 2’s R-Rated Versions Will Be Different & When Will They Release?

Summary

• Zack Snyder has teased that the R-rated versions of his
  Rebel Moon
  movies will hit Netflix in summer 2024.
• The
  Rebel Moon
  films are set to receive R-rated releases with an hour of extra footage each, adding more depth to the characters and story.
• Director’s cuts of the
  Rebel Moon
  movies will diverge from PG-13 versions, offering parallel and more adult experiences.

Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver delves into the climactic finale of director Zack Snyder’s epic space opera, which began with 2023’s Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire. Originally envisioned as a Star Wars project, Snyder transformed the world and characters of Rebel Moon into an original universe. Although both installments have received backlash for being derivative of sci-fi classics, Snyder has promised more world-building and plot points are on the horizon. Both Rebel Moon films are set to receive R-rated releases, which will effectively serve as extended director’s cuts of the originals.

In Rebel Moon‘s first installment, viewers are introduced to the imperialistic Motherworld — a galaxy-controlling government whose army, the Imperium, threatens the stability of Veldt. Kora (Sofia Boutella), a former Imperium soldier, now lives on the farming moon, and takes it upon herself to gather a rag-tag group of rebel warriors in her fight against the Imperium. Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver depicts Kora and her crew’s stand against the Imperium, delivering an epic, action-packed conclusion to the story that was set into motion in 2023. Now, Snyder plans to expand Rebel Moon‘s story.

Rebel Moon’s R-Rated Versions Are An Hour Longer Than The Originals & Have More Violent & Sexual Themes

Zack Snyder Has Already Revealed Some Key Differences Between The Rebel Moon Cuts

Following the straight-to-Netflix release of Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver, Zack Snyder announced the Rebel Moon director’s cuts would be seeing the light of day sooner than initially anticipated. Snyder had previously mentioned that there would be R-rated versions of both films, but the release schedule wasn’t clear. New details have emerged, revealing that both Rebel Moon films will see an hour of extra footage added on to their runtimes. One of the biggest criticisms leveraged against the two-part epic was its formulaic nature. With so much world-building, Rebel Moon‘s characters suffered.

…the six-hour sci-fi epic promises to be even more immersive than ever.

However, the extra scenes in the movies’ director’s cuts could help flesh out Rebel Moon‘s eclectic heroes. While it’s hard to imagine that the new R-rated versions of the films will mitigate all the backlash, the six-hour sci-fi epic promises to be even more immersive than ever. Snyder has also noted that the director’s cuts will be “very adult,“ featuring both more violent and sexual themes. While it’s not yet clear which characters’ stories will be the most impacted, Rebel Moon fans have more than just a handful of deleted scenes to look forward to soon.

What Zack Snyder Has Said About The Extended Rebel Moon Cuts’ Worldbuilding & Differences

The R-Rated Rebel Moon Cuts Will Dig Deeper

In a recent interview with Yahoo Movies (UK), Snyder suggested that the director’s cuts of the Rebel Moon movies are more like “alternate universe[s]” than extended versions, indicating just how much of a deep dive the R-rated outings will be. Judging by the filmmaker’s comments, the new versions of Rebel Moon aren’t just fleshing the films’ characters and world out, but recontextualizing certain events and motivations. Snyder and his team even shot scenes knowing they wouldn’t make the PG-13 cut, so the R-rated versions have been meticulously planned from the start.

the PG-13 and R-rated versions of the projects will continue to diverge from one another…

Snyder, who plans on making a full-fledged franchise out of Rebel Moon, even noted that future films would be shot similarly. With the current (and future) director’s cuts of Rebel Moon franchise films including so much more material, the director reiterated that the PG-13 and R-rated versions of the projects will continue to diverge from one another, creating “parallel experiences” for viewers. Boutella described the R-rated versions of Rebel Moon as “more raw,“ while fellow actor Staz Nair added that the director’s cuts help make Rebel Moon‘s dystopian world feel more “realistic” and grounded.

Zack Snyder Revealed Rebel Moon’s Extended R-Rated Versions Will Likely Be Released On Netflix In Summer 2024

Both Rebel Moon Extended Versions Could Be Summer 2024’s Blockbusters

While Snyder and Netflix have been tight-lipped about confirming an exact release date — or dates — for the R-rated cuts of Rebel Moon Part 1 and 2, the director teased that both will hit the streamer in summer 2024. Originally, Netflix asked Snyder to make the Rebel Moon flicks PG-13 so that they could be more accessible to teenage viewers. In order to strike this deal with the visionary filmmaker, Netflix agreed that Snyder could have complete creative control over R-rated director’s cuts of the films (via The Hollywood Reporter). For now, it seems likely that both Rebel Moon films will be released on the same day, allowing viewers to experience Snyder’s “catharsis” in its totality.

The PG-13 cuts of both

Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire

and

Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver

are now streaming on Netflix.

Sources: Yahoo Movies (UK), The Hollywood Reporter