Watch: Sullivan Stapleton and Eva Green Battle in New Trailer for “300: Rise of ... - Up and Comers

Before taking hits for “Watchmen,” “Sucker Punch” and even “Man of Steel,” Zack Snyder made a mark with his ultra violent, ultra stylized ancient Greek battle epic “300,” and eight years later, a sequel is finally on its way. Snyder didn’t direct “300: Rise of an Empire,” instead handing the baton to Noam Murro, but judging by the newest trailer, his style is still a heavy influence.

No more Gerard Butler this time around (RIP Leonidas), but rising Aussie star Sullivan Stapleton takes over the lead as Themistocles, a Greek army leader who must battle Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro reprising his role as the mortal-turned-God) and the invading Persian forces. Xerxes is aided by the manipulative and war-hungry warrior queen Artemisia (Eva Green).

Both a prequel and a sequel that will see everything from the transformation of Xerxes from man to God through the aftermath of the Battle of Thermopylae as chronicled in “300,” most of the action takes place on ships atop the wild seas and it altogether looks grander and more epic than the original. “300: Rise of an Empire” will be released on March 7, 2014. See the newest trailer below.

About the author

Linda Ge

Linda studied Film & Digital Media at the University of California. She likes David Fincher, New York City, and cats. She founded Up&Comers in 2010. You can find more of her film reporting at Bleeding Cool, book reviews at light-of-day.net and random ramblings, 140 characters at a time, on Twitter.