Sullivan Stapleton, outstanding in the gritty 2010 indie drama Animal Kingdom, has been tapped for a starring role - probably Themistocles - in the 300 prequel/sequel/spin-off (also known as Xerxes at one point and 300: The Battle of Artemisia) says Variety. Also up for a major role in the currently untitled 300 project is Eva Green who could be playing Artemisia.
Noam Murro (Smart People) is on board to direct the film for Warner Bros from a script by Zack Snyder (300 and the upcoming Man of Steel) and Kurt Johnstad based on Frank Miller's Xerxes. In an interview with the LA Times, Miller described the story, "The time frame begins 10 years before 300 and the story starts with the Battle of Marathon, which was killer to draw, by the way, even if it was a lot of work. The lead character is Themistocles, who became warlord of Greece and built their navy. The story is very different than 300 in that it involves Xerxes search for godhood. The existence of gods are presupposed in this story and the idea is that he well on his way to godhood by the end of the story."
Stapleton recently completed work on The Gangster Squad directed by Ruben Fleischer and starring Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin, Sean Penn, and Emma Stone.
(Photo by Toby Canham/Getty Images)
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