August 15, 2005 - Movies Online first reported, and now The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed, that Scottish thesp Gerard Butler (The Phantom of the Opera) will star in director Zack Snyder's live-action adaptation of 300, Frank Miller's graphic novel retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae.

300 is a fictionalized account of the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. where Leonidas (Butler), King of Sparta, and his 300 warriors confronted the overwhelming forces of Persian ruler Xerxes. In Miller's tale, Leonidas has long wanted to unite the Greeks under one banner and Xerxes' hostility has given his dream newfound urgency. Sparta will fall to the mighty Persian army unless they stand against Xerxes.

Leonidas determines that the cities themselves cannot be held so the only way to halt Xerxes' seemingly inevitable march towards victory is to make their stand at the Hot Gates (a.k.a. the Gates of Fire), an imposing, narrow mountain pass that will give the Spartans a distinct advantage over Xerxes' sheer numbers. The Persians fall for Leonidas' ploy, underestimating the effectiveness of The Hot Gates and the Spartans' will to survive.

Snyder will film 300 in Montreal beginning Oct. 17. Ancient Sparta will be recreated using digital effects and virtual sets. The project is said to be, like Sin City before it, a shot-for-shot adapation of Miller's graphic novel.

Gerard Butler's credits include Timeline, Reign of Fire, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, Dracula 2000 and the title role in the TV miniseries Attila. He will next be seen in Beowulf & Grendel.


Gerard Butler in Timeline.