Cast of ‘300’ Prequel Begins to Take Shape

Though it has its critics, I really enjoyed the film adaptation of Frank Miller‘s graphic novel 300.  Either way you look at it launched the career of Zach Snyder — and also helped add to the huge attention paid to Frank Miller’s comics after Sin City put him on the movie map.

So it’s no surprise that 300 is getting a prequel, 300: Battle of Artemisia, which is based on Xerxes, a graphic novel that Miller is currently writing and drawing.  Though Zach Snyder isn’t returning to direct — he’s a bit busy with Man of Steel — it will be directed by Noam Murro (Smart People) from a script by Kurt Johnstad and Snyder (who were two of the writers the original).  In the last few days, two actors have been cast in the film’s major roles: Sullivan Stapleton will star as Themistokles and Jamie Blackley has been cast as Calisto.

The two join Eva Green, who will play the goddess Artemisia, Andrew Pleavin, who is expected to return as Daxos and Rodrigo Santoro, who is expected to return as Xerxes.

The film isn’t expected to be released until 2013, with shooting to begin later this year.