When you think of Michael Fassbender and comic book movies, we're sure his role as Magneto in 20th Century Fox's X-Men movies immediately comes to mind. However, the Irish actor also had a fairly memorable role in Zack Snyder's 300 way back in 2006.
It was Fassbender's first big Hollywood movie and came long before he starred in the likes of Prometheus and Steve Jobs. Reflecting on his role as Stelios in Snyder's adaptation of the Frank Miller comic book, the two-time Oscar nominee told Vanity Fair it was a good excuse to get in shape...and get paid.
"For 300, I think we trained for ten weeks before we stepped in front of a camera," he recalled. "And because the film is so physical, I think I have maybe four lines in the movie maybe. So it's very much physically-based character performance. And so to get in shape was key. But yeah, I just enjoyed the fact that I was, you know, getting in shape and getting paid."
In the same interview, Fassbender also shed new light on what most appealed to him about the role of Magneto in the X-Men movies.
"What really drew me to that movie, X-Men: First Class, was this idea of an outsider and what it feels like you don't belong. That for me was an interesting core to work from in the character and to find the justifications in what his actions were, which again were pretty monumental," Fassbender explained. "The lengths he was willing to go and what the motivation of what that was. Essentially the core of that is just that Magneto needs a hug."
300 is set in ancient Greece during the Battle of Thermopylae and follows King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartan warriors facing the massive Persian army led by King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro). Renowned for its visually striking style, the film employs a unique blend of live-action and CGI, showcasing stylized violence and a distinctive colour palette.
As one of Snyder's best-reviewed movies, it's largely remembered for its slow-motion action sequences and memorable quotes, though 300 ultimately received both praise and criticism for its visual approach and historical liberties. Still, the movie became a cultural phenomenon, influencing subsequent films and popularizing the phrase "This is Sparta!"
Even with heaps of Multiversal madness going on, Fassbender isn't expected to reprise his role as Magneto in the MCU. As for 300, Snyder recently revealed that his follow-up is now a gay love story about Alexander the Great.