Zack Snyder Responds to Critics of ‘Rebel Moon’: ‘I Don’t Have Much of a Reaction’

Zack Snyder, the writer-director behind “Rebel Moon,” recently addressed the negative reception to the film’s first installment. Speaking to Empire magazine ahead of the release of the second film on streaming, Snyder admitted that he doesn’t have a strong reaction to the criticism. He expressed confusion over the extreme backlash, stating that he doesn’t see anything in the movie that would justify such harsh responses.

“I don’t really have a rebuttal to the reviews,” Snyder remarked. “For whatever reason, the reaction to my movies is very polarizing, and it always has been. The movie, it doesn’t seem like there’s that much in it that would warrant such visceral responses.”

Originally conceived as a “Star Wars” pitch, “Rebel Moon” follows the story of a former soldier, played by Sofia Boutella, who rallies warriors across the galaxy to combat the evil Imperium threatening her farming colony.

Meanwhile, Boutella revealed in an interview with Vulture that the negative reviews deeply affected her emotionally. She expressed her pride in the project but admitted feeling troubled by the intense criticism, especially considering the dedication and effort poured into the film by the cast and crew.

In addition to the forthcoming second installment, Snyder plans to release R-rated director’s cuts of each film, promising even more intense and graphic content. He anticipates that the reception to these versions may differ from that of the theatrical releases.

Despite the critical reception, Snyder highlighted the success of “Rebel Moon” on Netflix, citing impressive viewership numbers. He emphasized the significance of the film’s reach on the streaming platform, indicating that it has likely reached more audiences than many box office hits from the past year.