Noam Murro To Direct 300 Spin-Off

The surprise success of 300, Zack Snyder's big-screen adaptation of Frank Miller's celebrated graphic novel, meant that Warner Bros. would be hungry for a follow-up. That next film is in fact a spin-off based on Miller's upcoming prequel comic Xerxes, which focuses on the antagonist of 300, the titular Persian King Xerxes (played in the film by Rodrigo Santoro). The project has been in search of a director ever since it was announced back in February that Snyder would not be returning to direct and the stuff with Guy Ritchie possibly directing turned out to be an "erroneous rumor."

Two very different filmmakers have apparently been vying for the director's chair as of late, Spanish director Juame Collet-Serra (Unknown, Orphan) and Israeli-born director Noam Murro (Smart People). With Collet-Serra now off doing the live-action US Akira adaptation, Warner Bros. has chosen Murro as their man to direct 300: Battle of Artemisia (or The Artist Formerly Known as Xerxes). An official offer is expected to be made to the director this week.

Although Snyder won't be directing the film (I'm sure to the sadness of some and the glee of others) he has still written the script alongside Kurt Johnstad, both of whom co-wrote 300 together. The aim is to keep this spin-off in the same style as the first film (more golden hues and super slow-mo, I guess) which, along with the not-so-subtle new name, will keep things recognizable for the movie going public.

As far as the director choice goes, it's not exactly an easy jump to make from a small indie "dramedy" like Smart People to a massive battle epic like this. However, the film must have impressed someone important in Hollywood as Murro is also in line to direct the upcoming Die Hard 5. Which one comes first (my guess is this Xerxes project) will give us a chance to see if he's right for the other.

As funny as it may be to say what with 300 having all the attributes of an action franchise, it was actually a very self contained film, one which doesn't really need a follow-up/prequel/spin-off (whatever you wanna' call it). But this is Hollywood we're talking about where a winning formula never gets left alone.