The first part of Zack Snyder's Star Wars and Seven Samurai-inspired sci-fi epic, Rebel Moon: A Child of Fire, wasn't exactly well-received (21% on Rotten Tomatoes with a 58% audience score), but it did set the stage for what could be a far more exciting and engaging follow-up.
A Child of Fire ended with Kora and her band of fellow freedom fighter returning to Veldt, unaware that the villainous Atticus Noble had been "resurrected" and was on his way with the full might of the Imperium behind him.
During an interview with Empire, Snyder teased plenty of action and emotional stakes as we witness the ragtag group of warriors defend the planet from potential annihilation.
“It’s a war film, 100 per cent. It’s got way more action than the first movie, very intense and crazy action. It’s absolutely an emotional rollercoaster you’re going to be on with these cats. We discover the backstories of our heroes, and there is an interesting correlation between what’s happened to most of them to make this battle cathartic and symbolic.”
One major criticism of A Child of Fire was that it didn't spend enough time allowing us to get to know the characters in the build-up to the final battle, so let's hope Part 2 doesn't make the same mistake.
Check out a new image of Kora (Sofia Boutella) below.
From Zack Snyder, the filmmaker behind 300, Man of Steel, and Army of the Dead, comes REBEL MOON, an epic science-fantasy event decades in the making. When a peaceful colony on the edge of a galaxy finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger living among the villagers, becomes their best hope for survival.
Tasked with finding trained fighters who will unite with her in making an impossible stand against the Mother World, Kora assembles a small band of warriors — outsiders, insurgents, peasants and orphans of war from different worlds who share a common need for redemption and revenge. As the shadow of an entire Realm bears down on the unlikeliest of moons, a battle over the fate of a galaxy is waged, and in the process, a new army of heroes is formed.
The heroes of Rebel Moon are: Kora (Sofia Boutella), an Imperium deserter who leaves the peaceful Veldt to fight back; Kai (Charlie Hunnam), a mercenary pilot whose Tawau-Class freighter will prove invaluable to Kora’s quest; Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), a Veldt farmer who knows little of the galaxy outside of his small, quiet corner of the galaxy; General Titus (Djimon Hounsou), a hardened gladiator who once served the Imperium; Tarak (Staz Nair), a noble indentured servant who shares a bond with a flying creature called a Bennu; Nemesis (Doona Bae), a cyborg sword master whose mechanical hands allow her to wield molten-metal weapons; Darrian Bloodaxe (Ray Fisher), an insurgent who has been harrying the Imperium with guerilla attacks; and Milius (E. Duffy), a refugee who seeks justice for their home — a colony that has already fallen to the Mother World.
Rebel Moon: A Child of Fire is now on Netflix. The sequel, Rebel Moon Part 2: The Scargiver, will debut on April 19, 2024.