Kora’s Scars in the ‘Rebel Moon: Director’s Cut’ Sex Scenes Were Sofia Boutella’s Idea: “I Asked Zack If It Would Be OK”

Zack Snyder promised fans sex and blood in the R-rated extended edition of his two-part Netflix film franchise, Rebel Moon, and he’s a man of his word. Both  Rebel Moon Part One: Director’s Cut and Rebel Moon Part Two: Director’s Cut began streaming on Netflix today, and not only is there a lot more blood-splattering action, there are also two explicit Rebel Moon: Director’s Cut sex scenes, featuring star Sofia Boutella.

Directed by Snyder, who also co-wrote the script with Kurt Johnstad and Shay Hatten, Rebel Moon follows the journey of Kora (Boutella). Kora was once a brainwashed soldier for the evil Imperium Motherworld, but in the first movie, she becomes a rebel fighter dedicated to defending the farming community that lives on the moon known as Veldt. The first film is about assembling a team, and the second film was about the epic battle, between the rebels and the back-from-the-dead villain, Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein). In the PG-13 versions of the first two movies, there was barely time to meet all the characters, much less see them get it on.

But, combined, this R-rated director’s cut is over six hours long. Now Kora has both the time and the MPA rating to enjoy some carnal pleasures with her two lovers. In the director’s cut of Part One, we see a passionate night that Kora spends with her casual fling, Den (Stuart Martin). Yes, there is nudity, and yes, you do see Boutella topless. But Kora’s nudity also reveals something new about her character: She has extensive scarring along the side and back of her body.

In a previous interview with Decider, Boutella revealed that the decision to show Kora’s scarring in the sex scenes was, in fact, her idea.

“You will see that in the extended version, that Kora has injuries,” Boutella told Decider in a Zoom interview in April. “I asked Zack if it would be OK, when you see my skin, if we can see injuries. And he said yes.”

In the director’s cut of Part Two, Kora has another explicit sex scene, this time with her love interest, Gunnar (played by Michiel Huisman). It’s far more tender and sweet than her first sex scene, because, well, they’re in love! Once again, you see Kora’s scars clearly on display.

Boutella told Decider she got the idea for Kora’s back injuries when she was thinking of a story-reason to justify why her character would wear a corset, which was part of the costume designed by Stephanie Portnoy Porter, the costume designer.

“I thought, ‘OK, what do I do with that? Why do I wear a corset?’ For me, if it’s just purely aesthetic, it’s not enough,” Boutella explained. “I need to have a background and a story to why I’m wearing what I’m wearing. Having been in wars and on battlefields for so long, [Kora] probably doesn’t have the best back. And she probably needs support. Genuinely! When you find her on Veldt, she’s plowing the land, I thought, ‘That’s what she was wearing the corset. It’s back support!’ That gave me the idea—which I’m happy about—you will see that in the extended version, that Kora has injuries.”

Boutella also expressed gratitude to Snyder for rolling with the idea. “I truly had a say, and got the opportunity to be creative with the character. Thanks to Zack for that, because he allowed that for me.”