Merrick again...
As of this update, THR's report still has Stapleton playing Xerxes. HOWEVER, other outlets are now saying that while Stapleton is gonna be appearing in the film, he may not necessarily be Xerxes (THIS piece in Variety doesn't seem sure, THIS piece in Deadline says he's Themistocles- who fights Xerxes,- which makes more sense than his playing Xerxes...but it's Hollywood...)
if Stapleton is, indeed, playing Themistocles instead of Xerxes, might this feasibly pave the way for Rodrigo Santoro to reprise the Xerxes role he played in 300, as Deadline suggests? He was so striking and compelling and memorable in that picture...I'd hate to see the role unnecessarily recast...
More as we know more...
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Merrick here...
ANIMAL KINGDOM's Sullivan Stapleton, who will also appear in Ruben Fleischer's GANGSTER SQUAD with Ryan Gosling and Sean Penn....
...will play Xerxes in a 300-verse film described thusly by THR:
The follow-up to 2006's Gerard Butler action pic 300 sees the Persian king-turned-god Xerxes lead an army against Greek forces, who have little training but are under the guidance of a general named Themistokles. (The giant battle at the center of this movie is supposed to occur at the same time as the fighting in 300.)
Xerxes was portrayed by Rodrigo Santoro in Zack Snyder's 2006 picture. If THR's report is accurate, not sure how he can be two places at once? I'm assuming some time separation (this new film precedes 300 is what I hear...)
Santoro's Xerxes was blinged out in Snyder's film...
...so I'm wondering if the character will have a different stylist in this new movie?
THR's sources are also telling them that Eva Green will play Artemisia the film - which'll be directed by Noam Murro. Murro directed 2008's SMART PEOPLE as well as a number of memorable commercials, and was once the helmer of the new DIE HARD movie (BEHIND ENEMY LINES' John Moore now has that gig).
You can see reels of Murro's impressive work HERE.
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