Zack Snyder confirms Rebel Moon and Army Of The Dead share a universe

Sofia Boutella in Rebel Moon
(Image credit: Netflix)

In the new issue of Total Film, which hits shelves this week, director Zack Snyder reveals that his upcoming action slash space adventure Rebel Moon shares a universe with his Netflix zombie film series. 

"Army of the Dead has a pretty vast mythology that never made it into the movie.” says the Justice League director, "There’s actually a character from Rebel Moon in the Army of the Dead animated series that we never did." 

Snyder’s Army of the Dead series started in 2021 with the Army of the Dead movie, starring Guardians of the Galaxy’s Dave Bautista and Yellowjackets’ Ella Purnell in a post-apocalyptic and zombie-ridden Las Vegas, a few months later the sequel Army of Thieves was released. The animated series that Snyder mentions, titled Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas, was supposed to hit Netflix straight after the first two movies but was never completed. 

The unfinished series is what contains the Rebel Moon crossovers. "At one point in the show, they go through a portal into another dimension, and there are characters in that other dimension that they come across," Snyder explains, "In Rebel Moon, they’re in this bar, and one of the aliens is one of the characters from the animatic. So it’s definitely a shared universe.” 

Set in a galaxy far away, Rebel Moon starring The Gentlemen’s Charlie Hunnam and The Mummy’s Sofia Boutella, follows a young woman with a mysterious past who must build an army to fight back against the tyrannical forces who are threatening her home and community.

Later in the interview, Snyder confirmed that much work on Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas has already been completed, he says,  “We did all the scripts and the animatics, and all the voices are recorded. So you could watch it, even in its crazy animatic form – you can watch the whole run.” The series was to be an anime-inspired show chronicling the early days of the undead outbreak.

Rebel Moon Part 1 lands on Netflix on December 22nd, 2023. Rebel Moon Part 2 will follow soon after, streaming on Netflix on April 19th, 2024. Snyder’s Army of the Dead and Army of Thieves are both available to stream on Netflix right now.

For much more on Rebel Moon and Zack Snyder, pick up a copy of the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves on November 9. Check out the covers below:

The Bikeriders Total Film cover

(Image credit: Future/20th Century Studios)

Pre-order the issue here to bag your copy, or click here to subscribe to Total Film and never miss another exclusive. With our latest offer, you can get a JOBY Magnetic Wireless Charger worth £29.95 when you take out a print subscription.

Jordan Farley
Deputy Editor, Total Film

I'm the Deputy Editor at Total Film magazine, overseeing the features section of every issue where you can read exclusive, in-depth interviews and see first-look images from the biggest films. I was previously the News Editor at sci-fi, fantasy and horror movie bible SFX. You'll find my name on news, reviews, and features covering every type of movie, from the latest French arthouse release to the biggest Hollywood blockbuster. My work has also featured in Official PlayStation Magazine and Edge.

With contributions from
Read more
Cyborg and Batman together
Justice League stars Ray Fisher and Ben Affleck are teaming up for new thriller Animals
James Gunn
James Gunn and Zack Snyder's viral photo was posted to prove to DC fans there's no bad blood between them: "It's such a weird dynamic that's been created between factions online"
Superman
James Gunn cryptically suggests that the DCU is building towards a Superman and Batman crossover
Robert Pattinson in The Batman
Upcoming DC movies and TV shows: every DCU title coming soon
Millie Bobby Brown in The Electric State
The Russo brothers’ upcoming Netflix movie The Electric State includes a section that takes place before the graphic novel due to its "vague narrative"
Giancarlo Esposito and Stanley Tucci in The Electric State
Stars Stanley Tucci and Giancarlo Esposito say their new dystopian sci-fi movie The Electric State is more like our own reality than we might realize
Latest in Action Movies
Michael Fassbender in Black Bag
X-Men star Michael Fassbender says he auditioned for James Bond, but ended up suggesting they go for Daniel Craig: "I don't know why I was promoting him"
Warfare movie
First reactions to Ex Machina director's "intense" new war movie are comparing it to Black Hawk Down
Jack Quaid in The Boys
The Boys star and self-proclaimed "huge video game nerd" Jack Quaid says his dream role would be in a BioShock movie because it's "one of my favorite games of all time"
Gemma Chan in Eternals
Eternals star Gemma Chan is hopeful she'll return to the MCU someday: "There's unfinished business there"
All You Need is Kill anime
Graphic novel that inspired one of Tom Cruise's highest-rated actioners is being turned into an anime movie
Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield in Stranger Things 4
Stranger Things star Sadie Sink joins Spider-Man 4 and fans are already theorizing she might be X-Men’s Jean Grey
Latest in News
Alan Ritchson as Reacher in Reacher season 3
Reacher season 3 breaks a new record for Prime Video as the action show becomes its most-watched returning season of television ever
Silent Hill f
Silent Hill f may be the scariest game in the 26-year-old series, or at least the first one rated 18+ in Japan
Phoebe Dynevor
Bridgerton star to join Jake Gyllenhaal in a new romantic supernatural thriller from M. Night Shyamalan and the author of The Notebook
The Steam logo on a blue background.
Steam's new game revenue is 10x higher than it was 10 years ago, but only around 200 made more than $1 million in their first 30 days
Roblox
Roblox CEO tells concerned parents not to "let your kids be on Roblox" even if it "sounds a little counter-intuitive"
Sucker Punch
New Prison Break reboot adds Sucker Punch and Euphoria stars to its cast