As Leonidas departs, two agents of Xerxes appear-one of them, Theron, a Spartan-who bribe the Ephors with concubines and money. The Ephors consult the Oracle, who decrees that Sparta must not go to war during their religious festival Carnea. He proposes they repel the numerically superior Persians by using the terrain of Thermopylae (the Hot Gates) and funneling the Persians into a narrow pass between the rocks and the sea.

Knowing this will prompt a Persian attack, Leonidas visits the Ephors-ancient leprosy-ridden priests whose blessing he needs before the Spartan council will authorize going to war. In response to this demand, Leonidas kicks the messenger into a large well. Thirty years later, a Persian messenger arrives at the gates of Sparta, demanding the submission of Sparta to King Xerxes.

The film received mixed reviews, receiving acclaim for its original visuals and style, but criticism for favoring visuals over characterization and its controversial depiction of the ancient Persians however, the film was a box office success, grossing over $450 million, with the film's opening being the 24th largest in box office history at the time, and it has since developed a cult following.ĭilios, a Spartan soldier, narrates the story of Leonidas from his boyhood to becoming a king of Sparta. Through this narrative technique, various fantastical creatures are introduced, placing 300 within the genre of historical fantasy.ģ00 was released in both conventional and IMAX theaters in the United States on March 9, 2007, and on DVD, Blu-ray Disc, and HD DVD on July 31, 2007. The story is framed by a voice-over narrative by the Spartan soldier Dilios ( David Wenham). As the battle rages, Queen Gorgo ( Lena Headey) attempts to rally support in Sparta for her husband. The plot revolves around King Leonidas ( Gerard Butler), who leads 300 Spartans into battle against Persian 'god-King' Xerxes ( Rodrigo Santoro) and his army of more than 300,000 soldiers. It was filmed mostly with a super-imposition chroma key technique, to help replicate the imagery of the original comic book.

The film was directed by Zack Snyder, while Miller served as executive producer and consultant. Both are fictionalized retellings of the Battle of Thermopylae. 300 is a 2007 American Fantasy action Adventure film based on the 1998 comic series of the same name by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley.

300 spartans comic book