Larger Version of 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE Still Released, Plus New Info/Synopsis

USA Today disclosed our first ever look at upcoming comic book sequel 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE a few days ago. We now have a look at the larger image, courtesy the french Warner Bros. website. The larger image shows that the Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton), previously just featured in a headhsot, is actually standing on his ship in front of his army and sports a big wound and bandage on his arm, perhaps a battle injury.

The highly anticipated 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE releases this summer in France. Adapted from the graphic novel by Frank Miller, "Xerxes", the film takes place at sea, where the Greek general Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) tries to mobilize all the Greek forces to face the army of Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro). Six years after the stunning success of Zack Snyder's 300, the "sidequel" presents a parallel story to the events of the earlier film, while also adding new characters.

Visually, the film is very close to its predecessor, but a number of departures are also in place. First, since Zack Snyder was already busy on MAN OF STEEL, he has been replaced behind the camera by Noam Murro, an Israeli director who previously directed the comedy SMART PEOPLE. Snyder's presence, however, will be felt as he conceptualized the film with co-writers Frank Miller and Kurt Johnstad. "It is not a clone of the original. This is a very different telling of the story, but keeping the flavor of the first 300," says Noam Murro before adding, "The concept of a small army against a variety of opponents is still there. They are against hundreds of hundreds of thousands. But to beat a great power, the soldiers will have to rely on their wisdom and tactics."

300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE will see two of its main players from the earlier episode return, Rodrigo Santoro in the role of Xerxes and Lena Headey in the role of Queen Gorgo. New headliner, Eva Green, will play the Queen Artemisia of Persia, a woman described as "sexy, ruthless and cunning" according to the director, and someone who thus has "everything to kill her enemies." Another new feature of the sequel - the battles will all take place, for the vast majority, at sea, which means "a completely different choreography in the fighting and war scenes" says the filmmaker.