For all that it was a sci-fi blowout, with lashings of fantasy and explosions of action, Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child Of Fire was, in essence, a getting-the-band-together movie. The first half of Zack Snyder’s two-part epic took its cues from Seven Samurai, assembling a handful of ragtag warriors to face down the nefarious Imperium and defend the moon of Veldt. It’s all groundwork, says the filmmaker, that establishes a bigger and even more batshit follow-up.
“It’s a war film, 100 per cent,” Snyder tells Empire of Part Two – The Scargiver. “It’s got way more action than the first movie, very intense and crazy action.” And his hopes are that, having spent time bringing our heroes together, there’ll be emotional fireworks amid the battles, seeing them lay their lives on the line to save the day. “It’s absolutely an emotional rollercoaster you’re going to be on with these cats,” Snyder promises. “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.”
At the centre of the action is Sofia Boutella’s returning Kora – not only the ‘Child Of Fire’ from the Part One title, but also ‘The Scargiver’ of Part Two. And as you’ll see, she’s got a fresh ‘do for the next chapter, reflective of where she’s going next. “She’s shielding us from her real involvement, and there’s a bit of conflict around what she’s done,” Snyder teases. “But in the end, what she offers the group, her skillset and her desire to redeem herself, makes her a powerful asset.” Once a rebel, always a rebel.
Read Empire’s full story on Rebel Moon: Part Two – The Scargiver in the Furiosa issue, on sale Thursday 14 March. Pre-order a copy online here. Rebel Moon: Part Two comes to Netflix from 19 April, with Part One streaming now.