The 'Rebel Moon' Film Series Already Has Multiple Films, but Are They Based on Books?

The Gist:

• Filmmaker Zack Snyder came out with a new film series called Rebel Moon.
• The first film in the series, A Child of Fire, was released in December 2023 with a second to follow in 2024.
• We discuss whether or not the films are based on books.

Throughout his career, Zack Snyder has proven to be a highly divisive filmmaker. Though he's been responsible for well-remembered film moments in films like 300, his work on the now-defunct DC Extended Universe of films was polarizing, to say the least. While many critics and fans decried his work with adapting DC heroes, others have proven just as fervent in defending his vision and claiming him as a director with a unique artistic vision.

However, even his non-comic related work hasn't exactly won people over. The latest example comes in the form of Rebel Moon, a new film series by Snyder.

The first film, A Child of Fire, was released on Netflix (following a limited theatrical release) on Dec. 21 to mixed reviews from critics. Still, the moderate buzz surrounding the film has led people to ask whether or not the films are based on books. Here's what you should know.

The Rebel Moon film series is set in a far-off galaxy ruled by the motherworld and its oppressive militaristic might led by the Imperium. In A Child of Fire, Kora (Sofia Boutella) fights against her former Imperium comrades in order to put an end to their reign.

The second film in the series, The Scargiver, is already slated for release in 2024.

Titles like "A Child of Fire" and "The Scargiver" certainly sound like titles that you might glance at on a shelf in the YA Novel section of a bookstore. However, you might be surprised to know that the Rebel Moon story is completely original.

The screenplays for both films were co-written by Snyder himself, Atomic Blonde writer Kurt Johnstad, and Shay Hatten who previously worked on two John Wick films.

In an interview with Bleeding Cool, Zack Snyder even revealed that he'd first come up with the concept when he was 12 years old. The film series also reportedly draws inspiration from the likes of Star Wars and Akira Kurosawa movies.

This wouldn't be the first time that Zack Snyder came up with his own original screenplay for a film. In 2011, he co-wrote Sucker Punch alongside screenwriter Steve Shibuya.

But just as his name has never been a seal of quality for his DC film adaptations, the same rings true for his original works. Like Rebel Moon after it, Sucker Punch also received poor reviews from critics upon release.

For better or worse, Rebel Moon is a completely original work, one whose story will soon continue. Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver is set to release on Netflix on April 19, 2024.