Sullivan Stapleton Gets Lead Role In '300' Prequel At Warner Bros And Legendary

BREAKING: Warner Bros has set Sullivan Stapleton to star in 300: The Battle of Artemisia, which will be directed by Noam Murro for Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures. He’ll play Themistokles. I’d heard he would play Xerxes, but am told that the actor who originated that role in 300, Rodrigo Santoro is in talks to return to the role in this film. Stapleton was one of the terrific ensemble of Animal Kingdom, and he just completed a supporting role for the studio in Gangster Squad, the Ruben Fleischer-directed period crime film that stars Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling and Josh Brolin. Stapleton, who stars on the Cinemax series Strike Back, is repped by WME. ICM reps Santoro.