300 Prequel TV Series Reportedly in Development

A return to Sparta might be in the cards for Zack Snyder.

By Russ Burlingame

Warner Bros. Television is developing a TV series set in the world of 300, the Zack Snyder movie based on Frank Miller's acclaimed graphic novel of the same name. The project will reportedly be a prequel, which will presumably center on the Spartans led by Leonidas before they went to war with Xerxes. The original film, of course, centered on a group of 300 Spartan soldiers who went into battle against the much larger Persian army led by Xerxes I. The 300 all died in the end, but they took out many more Persians with them. The story was previously adapted in the 1962 film 300 Spartans.

While both 300 and 300 Spartans play pretty fast and loose with the history around the events, the story centers on the Battle of Thermopylae, which took place in 480 BC. According to Variety, who first reported the series in development, there are few details in place yet and no contracts are signed, but apparently they are looking at Zack Snyder to direct and executive produce the series. Other producers from the film, including Stone Quarry's Deborah Snyder and Wesley Coller, as well as Gianni Nunnari, Mark Canton, and Bernie Goldmann, are all in talks to return.

The idea of expanding the 300  universe is one that Snyder and Warners have been keen to explore for a while. The movie did get one sequel, but it underperformed. Other rumors suggested that there would be movies about other periods of history that would be made in a way that just "felt like" 300.

Bringing back familiar names and faces while rebooting the world feels fairly similar to Warner's approach to the Harry Potter TV show they're developing for Max. It seems plausible that a 300 series could end up on Max as well, although it would likely be a safer investment if it went to VHS itself.

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The original 300 was a surprise hit. The movie, which starred Gerard Butler, Rodrigo Santoro, Lena Headey, David Wenham, Dominic West, Vincent Regan, Tom Wisdom, and Michael Fassbender, was made for around $65 million, and earned over $450 million at the box office. It remains one of the most profitable movies Snyder has ever made. Even the "disappointing" 300: Rise of an Empire cost $110 million and earned $337 million globally.

There are a number of popular movies that have been adapted for TV in recent years, or are currently in development. Fatal Attraction, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and I Know What You Did Last Summer got the treatment, and there are plans for Legally Blonde and Time Bandits shows coming soon.

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