The original 300 came out in cinemas back in 2006, earning $456 million worldwide off a $75 million outlay, leading many to presume a sequel/spin-off would be on the way pretty damn sharpish. Seven years later and Zack Snyder's topless bro-fest is finally getting another crack of the whip with prequel/paralleloquel 300: Rise Of An Empire - and here's the first still to prove it.
Arriving online via USA Today, it's not the most revealing image in the world, showing as it does a group of oiled-up warrior folk on what looks like some sort of bridge/boat thing. This makes sense, considering this time water will feature heavily in the many battles Rise Of An Empire boasts.
At one point, **Rise Of An Empire **was known as 300: Battle Of Artemesium, which refers to part of the campaign, and shouldn't be confused with the Persian naval commander Artemesi_a_. The character of Artemesia is front and centre, however, and she is played by The Dame To Kill For herself, a.k.a. Eva Green, a.a.k.a. the woman who broke Bond's heart in Casino Royale. Her character is described as “the vengeful commander of the Persian navy.” Expect plenty o' revenge, then.
Instead of our man Mr. Butler, the lead will be played by Sullivan Stapleton (an Aussie actor arguably best known for his work in Animal Kingdom) as Greek general Themistokles, who'll be dealing with an "aquatic setting” with the "completely new dynamic” you'd expect to come with that. Check out a closer look at him in the still below.
And instead of Snyder comes relative newcomer Noah Murro, who has shared the following words with USA Today about the project:
"[Rise Of An Empire] happens over time in many different locations. The opportunities for the six distinct battles are even greater with different locations and tactics... The few against the many is still here. It’s hundreds vs. hundreds of thousands. It’s about taking on the mightiest power of all with wisdom and tactics."
August 8, 2013 is the date to mark in your diaries for 300: Rise Of An Empire, as that's when it's coming out.