Caffeinated Clint
A few weeks ago I shed some unexpired deets on the upcoming “300: sequel/prequel/spin-off “300 : Battle of Artemesia”, which Noam Murro (“Smart People”) is oiling down for a 2012 bow . I had quite a few things to say about the character of Artemesia, who is somewhat the film’s villain, but at the time nobody had been chosen to play the part.
The Hollywood Reporter says “Casino Royale” babe Eva Green has entered negotiations to play the part of the “ruthless, gold-covered goddess who persuades Xerxes to amass his army and helps lead them into battle.”
Fab actress and an even better-looker, so no arguments on this front.
Here’s what I had to say about the character of “Artemesia” a wee bit ago :
Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) is somewhat pushed into the bloody battle with the Greeks by the gold-covered maven goddess Artemisia. Artemisia, witnessing just how much his father King Darius’s death has affected him, persuades Xerxes – with her “vindictive charm” – to go into battle against those responsible.
Artemisia tells Xerxes that he has no choice but to avenge his father’s death and has to man up before becoming king. So, he sets off to become a God because that’s the only way he can win the battle.
Artemisia, on her hunt for a group of men to join Xerxes in the battle against the Greeks, doesn’t stop at brainwashing Xerxes. She also manages to convince Themistocles (the character “Animal Kingdom” star Joel Edgerton is in talks to play) to side with her somewhat. Though the Persians took his family, and he’s spent ten years training the Greeks for battle, Artemisia has such an allure about her that the muscly Greek is taken. Ultimately, she convinces him that his life will be better off if he swaps sides. But this guy’s also as good a liar as he is a fighter.
But as you can see, Artemisia is a central character in the story – she’s the one making opposing leaders jump through hoops.
Joel Edgerton was in talks to play the role of Thmistocles but pulled out. Rodrigo Santoro is to reprise his role as Xerxes in the WB flick, with Gerard Butler and Lena Headey rumoured to be cameoing as their “300” characters.
