300

300 is a 2006 American epic historical action film based on the 1998 comic book series of the same name by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley. Co-written and directed by Zack Snyder, with Miller serving as executive producer and consultant, the film is a fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae in the Greco-Persian Wars like its source material. The plot revolves around King Leonidas (Gerard Butler), who leads 300 Spartans into battle against the Persian "God-King" Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his invading army of more than 300,000 soldiers. As the battle rages, Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) attempts to rally support in Sparta for her husband. The story is framed by a voice-over narrative by the Spartan soldier Dilios (David Wenham). Through this narrative technique, various fantastical creatures are introduced, placing 300 within the genre of historical fantasy. 300 was filmed mostly with a superimposition chroma key technique to replicate the imagery of the original comics. An unfinished cut of 300 premiered at the Austin Butt-Numb-A-Thon on December 9, 2006. The completed film then premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 14, 2007, before being released in both conventional and IMAX 8 in the United States on March 9, 2007 and on home media on July 31, 2007. The film received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, who praised its visuals and style but criticizing its depiction of the Persians, which some characterized as bigoted or Iranophobic. Grossing over $456 million, the film's opening was the 24th-largest in box office history at the time. A sequel, titled Rise of an Empire, based on Miller's previously unpublished graphic novel prequel Xerxes, was released on March 7, 2014. Plot In 480 B.C., one year after the Battle of Thermopylae, Dilios, a hoplite in the Spartan army, begins his story by depicting the life of Leonidas I from childhood to kingship via Spartan doctrine. Leonidas survives being discarded for disfigurements at birth, and is trained for Agoge by his father, where his final test is to survive the harsh winter alone, during which he slays a monstrous wolf.