Gerard Butler and Lena Headey may reprise their respective roles of King Leonidas and Queen Gorgo in the upcoming prequel 300: Battle of Artemisia. While the story will reportedly focus on new characters, producer Bernie Goldmann, who worked on the original 300 and is returning to the prequel, said there are small parts for both actors in the new film.
Goldman told Indiewire that he and his fellow producers are looking for relative newcomers to fill the lead characters in 300: Battle of Artemisia, much like Butler and Headey were unknowns when the original was released. Of the decision, he said:
When you make a period movie like that, it’s great not to know the actors. For me, as an audience, it always brings me into the movie more. You can’t see Tom Cruise in a historical movie. You go, ‘That’s Tom Cruise!’
Goldman also said that when casting the original 300, Butler and Headey were chosen, in part, because bigger name actors didn’t believe in the movie. Also, Legendary Pictures, the studio behind the film, didn’t have the money to pay well-known actors.
Given the financial success of the first 300, and the freedom to cast more A-list actors who demand higher salaries for the prequel, what do you think of Goldman’s decision to hire unknowns again? More importantly, will you be more interested in seeing 300: Battle of Artemisia, which is scheduled to be released in 2013?
