It looks like some changes are afoot for Warner Brothers' sweaty chested Spartan sequel, 300: Battle of Artemisia. Yep, it's still happening and with the studio suddenly throwing around money like a broken pinata, there shouldn't be anymore worries about this one getting sent off to movie limbo. So far the casting has felt a little random, with Sullivan Stapleton(Animal Kingdom), Jamie Blackley(who!!?), and Eva Green the only confirmed stars, there have been rumblings about Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, and Rodrigo Santoro possibly coming back.
Talking recently with one of Collider's sister sites, Santoro revealed that he is in talks to return as the war mongering Xerxes. Initially, the film appeared to be centered on the character, based on Frank Miller's graphic novel and covering Xerxes' quest for godhood in the decade prior to the famed Battle at Thermopylae. Santoro says that things have changed somewhat, and now the Zack Snyder/Kurt Johnstad script will have elements that take place before, after, and during the events depicted in 300....
Santoro: The movie is set at the same time. The idea is to show another point of view. While that battle from the first 300 is taking place, there were others going on…Actually, it’s all of this and then there is an intersection point with the first movie. It goes back and then goes beyond that. That was the initial concept.
I still have a bad feeling about how this will ultimately shake out, especially with the unimpressive Murro at the helm. With the script continuing to evolve over the last three years, it may be that Snyder and Co. are trying to cram in too much, and maybe a more focused story would be the best approach.
