Jamie Blackley Cast as Lead in 300: THE BATTLE OF ARTEMISIUM
Actor Jamie Blackley has been cast in the lead role of of the Noam Murro (Smart People) directed sequel to Zack Snyder's 300 called 300: The Battle of Artemisium. He will join the previously announced Sullivan Stapleton (Animal Kingdom) as Xerxes and Eva Green as Artemisia.
Blackley hasn't really done much--just a lot of forgettable roles in a few TV series. This is definitely the biggest acting gig he's landed, so I have no idea what to expect from him in it. One thing is for sure... he doesn't look like a Spartan. I imagine they'll send him to Spartan boot camp like they did with the cast of the first film.
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.)"
This movie should be interesting. I loved the first movie, so I'm looking forward to seeing how this one turns out, regardless of the fact that I'm not familiar with most of the talent involved. Are you looking forward to this new ancient Greek fantasy action film?
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.