Joel Edgerton In Talks To Star In ’300: Battle of Artemisia’

Vulture bring word that Joel Edgerton is in talks to star in the upcoming prequel to Zach Snyder’s ’300,’ ’300: Battle of Artemisia.’ Edgerton is reportedly in line to play Themosticles, the famed archon and general who led the Greeks to victory against the invading Persians in 480 BCE. The Australian actors stock has been steadily rising over the last year after gaining international success with ‘Animal Kingdom,’ then subsequently starring in ‘Warrior and ‘The Thing.’ In 2012 he’ll be seen in Baz Luhrmann’s ‘The Great Gatsby,’ Disney’s ‘The Odd Life of Timothy Green,’ ‘Wish You Were Here,’ and possibly Kathryn Bigelow’s ‘Kill Bin Laden.’

’300: Battle of Artemisia’ is based on Frank Miller’s upcoming graphic novel that takes Xerxes, the Persian leader who is an antagonist in ’300,’ and turns him into more of a pivotal figure. He’s a man in search of godhood after the death of his father, battling an Athenian warlord named Themistocles. The story takes place over the course of several years, but the focal point is the battle of Artemisium, which occured in 480 BC. Previous reports had Snyder – who in my eyes done a fantastic job with ’300′ – pegged to direct until Warner Bros and producer Christopher Nolan signed him up to helm ‘Superman: Man of Steel.’ Noam Murro (five-time DGA nominated commercials director) is on board to direct the film. Look out for ’300: Battle of Artemisia’ sometime in 2013.