Rumors of a follow-up film to the epic "300" have circulated since 2008, and a long wait later, the first official trailer is now out. From what can be seen in the trailer, the movie promises all the gripping action and stylized cinematography that made the first movie a cult favorite.
"300: Rise Of An Empire" is said to be a parallel film to "300" and is based on the graphic novel "Xerxes" by Frank Miller. With Noam Murro as director and Zack Snyder as producer and a co-writer of the screenplay (he directed the original film), the plot as divulged on IMDb is: "The Greek general Themistocles battles an invading army of Persians under the mortal-turned-god, Xerxes." Themistokles is played by Sullivan Stapleton, and Artemisia, a commander in the Persian navy, is played by Eva Green. Rodrigo Santoro reprises his role as the bald, bejeweled God-king Xerxes; Lena Headey, who played Queen Gorgo in "300" can be seen in the trailer as well.
The official website elaborates on the character of Themistokles: "A master strategist, Themistokles holds an unflinching vision for the glory of Greece and will do whatever it takes to realize that vision-whether leading the charge on the battlefield or subtly working his influence behind the scenes. Now, facing the onslaught of the massive Persian navy, he may be outnumbered but not out-maneuvered. Knowing there's more at stake here than his life and the lives of his men, he will gamble everything on a daring plan that could seal the fate of Greece and the future of democracy."
According to director Murro, while the aquatic setting of the battle demands a different kind of choreography of fighting, the movie still has the essence of its predecessor. "The few against the many is still here," he said in an interview with USA Today. "It's hundreds versus hundreds of thousands. It's about taking on the mightiest power of all with wisdom and tactics."
"This is not a duplicate movie or a cookie-cutter. It's a very different story to tell in keeping with the original flavor of '300'," added Murro in that interview.
