Zack Snyder Didn't Even Try to Hide That 'Rebel Moon' Started as a 'Star Wars' Movie

Warning: This post contains spoilers from Rebel Moon — Part One, now available on Netflix.

While Disney is currently on a break from releasing Star Wars films, Zack Snyder has essentially gone rogue and made his own.

Back in 2012, the 300 filmmaker, who was a year away from releasing his first DCEU project Man of Steel, pitched Lucasfilm his more mature take on Star Wars. “I thought that Star Wars was in a vulnerable state, so I thought I had a chance,” he recently admitted. Having just been purchased by Disney, Lucasfilm passed, but, more than a decade later, that idea is finally a reality in the form of Snyder and Netflix's Rebel Moon.

The first half of the two-part sci-fi space epic premiered Thursday night on the streamer, and if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Star Wars should be blushing hard right now. To say that Rebel Moon is inspired by the George Lucas property would be an understatement, considering the countless instances of characters, settings and creatures appearing to be pulled straight out of a galaxy far, far away.

The cribbing from Star Wars is so obvious that you don't need to be a diehard or a trained-eye to notice, but we've still pulled together a forceful collection of examples.

The best and most fun performance in Rebel Moon is Sons of Anarchy star Charlie Hunnam as Kai, a smuggler and pilot with his own ship that becomes the traveling vessel for the good guys. Sound familiar? Yes, Hunnam is basically playing the Irish Han Solo — well, until that late film twist.
Sticking with the carbon copy character theme, the Anthony Hopkins-voiced robot warrior Jimmy is C-3PO but with a more human-friendly name.
And c'mon, that opening narration from Hopkins might as well be a Star Wars opening crawl.
Talk of senators! And rebels! Zack, stop making it so easy for us!
On their hunt for help in their mission against the Motherworld, Kora (Sofia Boutella) and Gunnar (Michiel Huisman) stroll into a cantina filled with dangerous and colorful alien creatures. Seen that a time or two in another galaxy.
Oh, and it's worth mentioning that Kora and Gunnar come from a farming colony, you know, just like where the one and only Luke S. grew up.
Sword master Nemesis (Bae Doona) is introduced via a showdown with a giant spider lady and the intense battle concludes when Nemesis stops messing around and finally uses her glowing red laser swords. To be honest, they're definitely lightsabers, but let's not risk a copyright lawsuit.
Rebel Moon ends with chief villain Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein) revived and sent to meet with the even bigger bad: Regent Balisarius (Fra Free), who is the adoptive father of our hero. Kora, welcome to the evil dads support group, your first drink is on Luke Skywalker!

~~Star Wars X~~ Rebel Moon is now streaming on Netflix.

Zack Snyder Didn’t Even Try to Hide That ‘Rebel Moon’ Started as a ‘Star Wars’ Movie — Here’s the Proof