Interview | Rebel Moon cast talk A Child Of Fire, its Extended Cut and The Scargiver

Before the release of Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child Of Fire on Netflix, we had a conversation with the cast to discuss Zack Snyder, the extended version, and The Scargiver which is set to come out next year.

Going to press junkets can be quite amusing. It involves having to meet a constant stream of journalists who are allocated a short amount of time to inquire about your most recent project. I'm sure that for the talent involved, it's not the most enjoyable aspect of their job.

After hearing from the cast of Rebel Moon, Zack Snyder's latest blockbuster, it was evident that they were extremely enthusiastic to discuss Part One: A Child Of Fire, the extended cut planned to release next year, and its upcoming sequel, The Scargiver. However, they have to be cautious about giving away too many details or face the wrath of Netflix, as playfully mentioned by Ed Skrein.

A Child Of Fire shines a spotlight on Sofia Boutella's Kora. The narrative revolves around her, making Kora the top-billed character. Kora embodies the archetypal Snyder protagonist and is among the many powerful female warrior roles Boutella is renowned for. However, Kora's depth lies in her vulnerability and her eagerness for life, making her distinctive and significant to Boutella.

Boutella mentioned that the protagonist has had a tumultuous history, and in the second film, the audience will learn more intricate details about it. However, despite the difficulties she has faced, the character persists with a strong desire to survive.

Skrein stars as Admiral Noble, Kora's enemy in the movie who is bent on wiping out her planet Veldt and the inhabitants living on it. He hints that there is still more to the story that we have yet to discover. Skrein took the role because he felt that Noble's character development was different and more fulfilling than the typical villain in similar films.

"I find it uninteresting when characters make a dramatic entrance, disappear for a long period of time, only to reappear and commit a heinous act. This formulaic approach lacks creativity and fails to capture my attention."

The challenging shooting period spanned for a duration of 153 days and didn't go smoothly without some mishaps. The report by The Hollywood Reporter talks about how Boutella accidentally hit Skrein in the head with a prop sword, but the rest of the actors told me that they fortunately didn't hurt themselves or each other too severely.

Djimon Hounsou, the actor portraying General Titus, a once problematic Motherworld General with an addiction to alcohol, reflects on the common occurrences within their work. "It's to be expected," he ponders. "Sometimes the excitement of the moment can take over, causing you to either rush or slow down too much."

Ray Fisher, who portrays the character of Darrian Bloodaxe, remarks that each of us experienced our share of difficulties in unique ways. He stresses that our ability to persist despite the challenges we encountered is a testament to the excellence of our colleagues. The task we perform is not an easy one.

Skrein remarks with a smile, "It's incredible how you could go from being completely naked while acting alongside extraterrestrials to appearing in a scene with 200 residents. There's an abundance of tasks to accomplish, and things are constantly shifting. However, that's precisely what we desire - to be occupied, invested, and tested. Indeed, this particular project was quite the experience, but I'm relieved I embraced the challenge."

Every member of the cast expresses admiration for filming, particularly their director Zack Snyder. Snyder appears to be highly esteemed by all his colleagues, as evidenced by Michiel Huisman (whose character, a peaceful farmer, transforms into a warrior to protect his home) and Fisher's effusive praise for working alongside him.

As Huisman spoke, the others in the group nodded in agreement. They all agreed that Zack had an incredible talent for creating films. He was confident in his vision and knew exactly what he wanted to achieve. The level of preparation that went into every shot was impressive, but what was even more impressive was Zack's ability to think on his feet. If something wasn't quite right, he would swiftly move the camera until he found the perfect angle. It was an exhilarating experience to work with someone with such a clear sense of direction and unwavering commitment to their craft.

I inform them that it appears to be an exquisite undertaking to participate in.

"It's unusual compared to how things are typically done on other Hollywood projects, but I feel fortunate," responds Fisher.

He has a good understanding when it comes to difficult productions.

Fisher collaborated with Zack Snyder on the blockbuster movies, Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice and Justice League in 2016 and 2017 respectively. However, due to a tragic incident, Snyder had to take a leave from Justice League, and the studio enlisted Joss Whedon to take over the project. Unfortunately, the completed film was met with negative reviews from critics. Recently, in 2020, Fisher spoke out against Whedon's unprofessionalism and abusive behavior, a claim that has been supported by many others.

Fisher also alleged that Walter Hamada, the head of Warner Bros., enabled Whedon's actions and vowed not to participate in any upcoming DCEU projects until accountability is taken for this behavior in the entertainment industry.

"When you agree to be an actor," Fisher explained, "you are agreeing to work on a specific project with certain team members and a particular director. All of these factors influence your decision to take on the project or not. When Zack told me his vision for this film and I saw what we created together, I knew it was going to be a pure and unfiltered example of Zack Snyder's style. And when you see the extended version, it will exceed all of your expectations."

E Duffy, who portrays Milius in the movie, had her first appearance in a feature film and commended the ambiance on Snyder's film set.

I don't have any other basis for comparison, but I must express that I experienced a great sense of liberty. As an actor, I felt an immense amount of trust, which contributed to this feeling. Additionally, there was an overpowering sensation of improvisation on set, which I believe supports the idea of this liberation.

The movie, Rebel Moon, originated as a proposal for Star Wars that wasn't accepted, and Snyder pondered creating it as a television series, but he eventually decided to make it into two parts for the cinema. Snyder and Netflix both knew right from the start that the movie would come in two versions - a PG-13 cut that anyone can enjoy, and a more intense R-rated version. This is quite different from Justice League.

This week, Snyder spoke to AP and shared that he does not view the extended cut as the same movie as the current version of A Child Of Fire. The R-rated cut, which features more violent content, has yet to receive a release date.

Snyder expressed that the extended cut of the movie seems to belong to a distinct realm than the original version. He likened it to being almost an alternate movie altogether.

Staz Nair, the actor portraying Tarak in the movie, admits that the newly edited version of the film has not been viewed by the cast yet, but they did receive a distinct script for it.

You will delve deeper into the world and its lore as well as the personal workings of the characters in this extended cut. You will witness how these diverse individuals come together and collide, sometimes in unpleasant ways. They come from different archetypes but are bound to work together due to their need for change. You'll see how they function or fail to function in a dark and intense way.

The blog talks about Nair, who is first seen on the planet of Neu-Wodi, where he is laboring to pay off his debt. His destiny hinges on his ability to control a legendary creature, identified as a Bennu. The Bennu scene, designed in the image of a Griffin, brought to my mind Buckbeak's debut in "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban," which I conveyed to Nair.

"Hey, don't consider it an offense," chuckles Nair. "I am an ardent enthusiast of feathered creatures. During my leisure hours, my favorite pastime is observing and learning about birds in my backyard through reading and watching."

In my opinion, exceptional creations derive from either being inspired by or replicating other magnificent concepts. During the medieval era, the Griffin symbolized power and aristocracy. As we draw inspiration from those who have been influenced before us, our ideas evolve and advance into something magnificent like a Bennu.

The Scargiver is a topic that the actors can't provide much information about, but I still inquire about it. Huisman characterizes it as a struggle to stay alive, whereas Fisher emphasizes the theme of discovering oneself.

"Part One introduces several different elements and Part Two brings them all together," Duffy explains. "It's like watching different things come together and influence each other."

Hounsou hints at his character, who typically remains reserved in A Child Of Fire, will catch us off guard in the sequel, whereas Nair proposes that The Scargiver will provide answers to several queries that viewers may have after the first installment.

According to Nair, the second segment of the story provides a more in-depth exploration of the individuals, their backgrounds, motivations, and the relationships between characters and the settings they originate from. The initial part of the story is about learning who the character is, but the latter section delves further into the reasons behind their actions and behavior. So, be sure to anticipate Part Two to gain answers to your queries.

The first installment of Rebel Moon, called A Child Of Fire, will be available for streaming on Netflix starting on December 22nd.