Frank Miller recently gave an interview to HeroComplex, where he was questioned on his prequel to the hit comic and movie 300, Xerxes. Since 300 hit theaters back in 2007 audiences have been waiting for a follow up.
On the plot of Xerxes:
"The time frame begins 10 years before 300 and the story starts with the Battle of Marathon, which was killer to draw, by the way, even if it was a lot of work. The lead character is Themistocles, who became warlord of Greece and built their navy. The story is very different than 300 in that it involves Xerxes' search for godhood. The existence of gods are presupposed in this story and the idea is that he well on his way to godhood by the end of the story," said Miller. The inclusion of Themistocles as the main character is very exciting as he’s generally considered one of the greatest leaders in history.
Regarding Themistocles, Miller said:
"With Themistocles I have a character who is almost the dead opposite of Leonidas in that Themistocles was a lying, conniving, brilliant, heroic figure. He was nicknamed ‘The Subtle Serpent’ and he always manages to do the exact right things that will result in him benefiting greatly."
While 300 was very successful in the US, the portrayal of Xerxes in the film was met with outrage in Iran, with many calling the character offensive given his revered status in the country.
Miller responded:
"Yes, I suppose it will be seen as provocative, but really to me he is such a pivotal character and in this story I get to explain him so much more fully. I do my best to crawl inside his head rather than have him be this iconic force that simply commands this huge army. There are many scenes with him alone or just with his people. There’s an extended scene set in Persepolis, for instance, where he takes power and there are several scenes where he is going through his transitions and he’s shown speaking to his mother and his wife and with all of that he becomes that much more interesting as a character."
On the Zack Synder helmed adaption of Xerxes:
"I don’t do a comic book thinking there is a movie. I just want it to be as good a comic book as it can be. It’s up to Zack and company to make it work as a film," said Miller. Miller also went on to confirm that Leonidas, who was portrayed by Gerard Butler in 300, will cameo by having a debate with the main character Themistocles and that some events following 300 will be featured in the comic. Neither the comic or the movie have a release date. The Battle of Marathon would be one of the most epic battles ever put to film. The battle took place in 490 BC, during the first Persian invasion of Greece and was fought between the citizens of Athens, aided by Plataea, and a Persian force commanded by Datis and Artaphernes. It was the culmination of the first attempt by Persia, under King Darius I, to subjugate Greece.
