300 Sequel Gets a New Title - 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE
The big screen adaptation of Frank Miller's 300 sequel, Xerxes, has gone through a couple different title changes already. The three previous titles were Xerses, 300: The Battle of Artemisium, and 300: The Battle of Artemisia. According to Variety's Andrew Stewart Warner bros. has once again changed the title of the movie, and now it will go by 300: Rise of an Empire.
The story follows the Persian king-turned-god Xerxes as he leads "an army against Greek forces, who have little training but are under the guidance of a general named Themistokles. (The giant battle at the center of this movie is supposed to occur at the same time as the fighting in 300.)"
The movie is being directed by Noam Murro (Smart People), and as of right now the cast includes Sullivan Stapleton (Animal Kingdom) playing Themistocles, Rodrigo Santoro returning as Xerxes, and Eva Green as Artemisia.
What do you think of the new title?
Here's a previously released synopsis:
Xerxes is somewhat pushed into the bloody battle with the Greeks by the gold-covered maven goddess Artemisia. Artemisia, witnessing just how much his father King Darius’s death has affected him, persuades Xerxes – with her “vindictive charm” – to go into battle against those responsible.
Artemisia tells Xerxes that he has no choice but to avenge his father’s death and has to man up before becoming king. So, he sets off to become a God because that’s the only way he can win the battle.
Artemisia, on her hunt for a group of men to join Xerxes in the battle against the Greeks, doesn’t stop at brainwashing Xerxes. She also manages to convince Themistocles (the character “Animal Kingdom” star Joel Edgerton is in talks to play) to side with her somewhat. Though the Persians took his family, and he’s spent ten years training the Greeks for battle, Artemisia has such an allure about her that the muscly Greek is taken. Ultimately, she convinces him that his life will be better off if he swaps sides. But this guy’s also as good a liar as he is a fighter.