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THIS IS SPARTA
<!-- ATTENTION! PLEASE READ BEFORE EDITING! Please present potential changes to this section in the Discussion area prior to making them, as consensus has been reached on a number of issues that tend to be repeated here. -->
'''''300''''' is a {{fy|2007}} American ] ] of the ] of the ] by ], and is a fictionalized retelling of the ]. The film was directed by ], while Miller served as ] and consultant. The film was shot mostly with a ] ] technique, to help replicate the imagery of the original comic book.

]n ] (]) and 300 Spartans fight to the last man against ] ] ] (]) and his army of more than one million soldiers. As the battle rages, Spartan ] (]) attempts to rally support in Sparta for her husband. The story is framed by a ] narrative by the Spartan soldier ] (]). Through this narrative technique, various fantastical creatures are introduced, placing ''300'' within the genre of ].

''300'' was released in both conventional and ] theaters in the United States on March 9, 2007, and on ], ], and ] on July 31, 2007. The film's opening was the 24th largest in ] history, although critics were divided over its look and style. Some acclaimed it as an original achievement, while others criticized it for favoring visuals over ] and its controversial depiction of the ancient Persians.

==Plot==
<!-- ATTENTION! PLEASE READ BEFORE EDITING! Please help keep this section brief. Every detail about the plot of 300 or every funny quote does not belong here. Also, the quote "THIS IS SPARTA!!" or "PREPARE FOR BATTLE!" isn't necessary, you can hear it in many other places & everyone knows it by now -->
The Spartan Dilios narrates a story of ], chronicling his journey from a boy to king of Sparta. Years later, Persian messengers arrive at the gates of Sparta demanding it submit to King ]. Leonidas and his guards kick the messengers down a well. Knowing this will prompt a Persian attack, Leonidas visits the ]s—ancient, ]-ridden priests whose blessing he needs before the Spartan council will authorize going to war. He proposes they repel the numerically superior Persians by using the terrain of ] (the Hot Gates), and funnel the Persians into a narrow pass between the rocks and the sea. The Ephors consult the Oracle ], who decrees that Sparta must not go to war. After Leonidas departs a messenger from Xerxes appears, rewarding the Ephors for their covert support.

Leonidas follows his plan anyway, setting out with only 300 soldiers, which he calls his personal guard to avoid needing the council's permission. Though he knows it is a certain suicide mission, he hopes the sacrifice will spur the council to unite against Persia. Along the way to Thermopylae, the Spartans are joined by ] and various other ]. At ], they construct a wall to contain the approaching Persian advance. Meanwhile, Leonidas encounters ], a hunchbacked Spartan whose parents fled Sparta to spare him certain ]. Wanting to redeem his father's name, he asks to join Leonidas and warns him of a secret path the Persians could use to outflank and surround them. Though sympathetic to the eager warrior, Leonidas rejects his request as Ephialtes cannot properly hold a shield, which would compromise the Spartans' ].

Prior to the battle, the Persians demand that the Spartans lay down their weapons. Leonidas refuses, and with their tightly-knit phalanx formation the Spartans use the narrow terrain to repeatedly rebuff the advancing Persian army. Xerxes personally approaches Leonidas to persuade him to surrender, offering Leonidas wealth and power in exchange for his loyalty. Leonidas declines and Xerxes sends his elite guard, the ], to attack them. The Spartans successfully dispatch them, but Ephialtes defects to the Persians and informs them of the secret path. When they realize Ephialtes' treachery, the Arcadians retreat and Leonidas orders Dilios to return to Sparta to tell the Council of their sacrifice. Though Dilios had recently lost his left eye in combat, he is still well-fit for battle, but Leonidas decides to utilize Dilios' unique gift for ] to appeal to the Spartan council. Though reluctant to leave his brothers behind, Dilios leaves with the Arcadians.

In Sparta, ] reluctantly submits sexually to the influential Theron in exchange for his help in persuading the Spartan council to send reinforcements to Leonidas. Following her address to the Council, Theron publicly betrays the Queen, prompting the councilmen to cry out in outrage and Gorgo to kill him out of rage, spilling open a bag of Persian coins from his robe. The Council agrees to unite against Persia. Meanwhile, at Thermopylae, the Persians use the goat path to surround the Spartans. Xerxes' ] demands their surrender, again offering Leonidas titles and prestige. Leonidas seemingly bows in submission, allowing one of his men to leap over him and kill the general instead. Furious, Xerxes orders his troops to attack. Leonidas rises and hurls his spear at Xerxes, cutting the King on the cheek, thus making good on an earlier promise to make "the ] bleed." Visibly disturbed by this reminder of his own mortality, Xerxes watches as all of the Spartans are slaughtered by a massive barrage of arrows. Moments before his death, Leonidas pledges his undying love to Gorgo, his queen and wife.

Concluding his tale before an audience of Spartans, Dilios states that the Persian army, depleted by desertions out of fear and the heavy casualties they suffered at the hands of a mere 300 Spartans, now faces 10,000 Spartans commanding 30,000 Greeks. Although still outnumbered, Dilios declares that the Greeks shall be victorious, and praises the sacrifice of King Leonidas of Sparta. He then leads the Greeks in a charge against the Persian army, beginning the ].

==Cast==
<!-- ATTENTION! PLEASE READ BEFORE EDITING! Please present potential changes to this section in the Discussion area prior to making them, as consensus has been reached on a number of issues that tend to be repeated here. -->
* ] as ]: King of Sparta
* ] as ]: Queen of Sparta
* ] as ]: son of Leonidas and Gorgo; idolizes his father.
* ] as Theron: A corrupt (fictional) Spartan politician
* ] as Dilios: Narrator and Spartan soldier
* ] as ] Artemis: Leonidas' loyal captain and friend
* ] as Astinos: Captain Artemis' eldest son
* ] as Daxos: Arcadian soldier
* ] as ]: Deformed Spartan outcast
* ] as ]: King of Persia
* ] as The Loyalist: A loyal Spartan politician
* ] as ]: Young, spirited and highly skilled Spartan soldier
* ] as Persian messenger
* ] as ]
* ] as Young Leonidas
* ] as Über Immortal (Giant)
* ] as Persian General

==Production==
<!-- ATTENTION! PLEASE READ BEFORE EDITING! Please present potential changes to this section in the Discussion area prior to making them, as consensus has been reached on a number of issues that tend to be repeated here. -->
]
]
Producer Gianni Nunnari was not the only person planning a film about the ]; director ] already planned a film of the battle based on the book '']''. Nunnari discovered Frank Miller's ] ''300'', which impressed him enough to acquire the film rights.<ref>{{cite news|author=Rob M. Worley |title=Exclusive interview: Producer Gianni Nunnari's epic struggle for ''300'' |work=Comics2Film.com |date=March 9, 2007 |url=http://www.comics2film.com/StoryFrame.php?f_id=25111 |accessdate=March 10, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Scott Mitchell Rosenberg |title=March to Glory |work=Broken Frontier |date=March 9, 2007 |url=http://www.brokenfrontier.com/lowdown/details.php?id=708 |accessdate=March 10, 2007}}</ref> ''300'' was jointly produced by Nunnari and Mark Canton, and Michael B. Gordon wrote the script.<ref>{{cite news|author=Stax |url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/492/492542p1.html |title=The Stax Report: Script Review of ''300'' |publisher=IGN |date=February 17, 2004 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> Director ] was hired in June 2004<ref name="commands">{{cite news|author=Stax |url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/525/525357p1.html |title=Who Commands the ''300''? |publisher=IGN |date=June 22, 2004 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> as he had attempted to make a film based on Miller's novel before making his debut with the remake of '']''.<ref>{{cite news|author=Susan Wloszczyna |title=An epic tale, told ''300'' strong |work=USA Today |date=March 3, 2007 |url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2007-03-06-the300-cover_N.htm?csp=34 |accessdate=March 10, 2007}}</ref> Snyder then had screenwriter Kurt Johnstad rewrite Gordon's script for production<ref name="commands" /> and Frank Miller was retained as consultant and executive producer.<ref>{{cite news |author=Todd Gilchrist |url=http://comics.ign.com/articles/643/643905p2.html |title=Being Frank |publisher=IGN |date=August 20, 2005 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref>

The film is a ] of the ], similar to the film adaptation of '']''.<ref>{{cite news|author=Stax |url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/641/641893p1.html |title=Attila Leads the ''300'' |publisher=IGN |date=August 15, 2005 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> Snyder photocopied panels from the comic book, from which he planned the preceding and succeeding shots. "It was a fun process for me... to have a frame as a goal to get to," he said.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=37328 |title=''300'' Matches Miller Style |work=Sci Fi Wire |date=July 27, 2006 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> Like the comic book, the adaptation also used the character Dilios as a narrator. Snyder used this narrative technique to show the audience that the surreal "Frank Miller world" of ''300'' was told from a subjective perspective. By utilizing Dilios' gift of storytelling, he is able to introduce fantasy elements into the film, explaining that "Dilios is a guy who knows how not to wreck a good story with truth."<ref name="scifi">{{cite news|author=Resa Nelson |url=http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=34442 |title=''300'' Mixes History, Fantasy |work=Sci Fi Wire |date=February 1, 2006 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> Snyder also added the ] in which Queen Gorgo attempts to rally support for her husband.<ref name="sharp">{{cite web|url=http://www.comics2film.com/StoryFrame.php?f_id=21972 |title=Zack Snyder on keeping ''300'' sharp |accessdate= March 22, 2007 |author=Chris Brown |date=September 9, 2006 |work=Comics2Film.com |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.comics2film.com%2FStoryFrame.php%3Ff_id%3D21972&date=2008-09-28 |archivedate=2008-09-28}}</ref>

Two months of ] were required to create hundreds of shields, spears and swords, some of which were recycled from '']'' and '']''. An ] wolf and thirteen animatronic horses were also created. The actors trained alongside the stuntmen, and even Snyder joined in. Upwards of 600 costumes were created for the film, as well as extensive prosthetics for various characters and the corpses of Persian soldiers. Shaun Smith and ] worked hand in hand with Snyder in pre-production to design the look of the individual characters, and to produce the prosthetics, props, weapons and dummy bodies required for the production.<ref name="SHH set visit">{{cite news|author=Douglas Edward |title=''300'': The Set Visit! |work=SuperHeroHype.com |date=January 5, 2007 |url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/300news.php?id=5064 |accessdate=March 17, 2007}}</ref>

''300'' entered active production on October 17, 2005, in ],<ref>{{cite news|author=Pamela McClintock |coauthor=Michael Fleming |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117927548.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 |title=''300'' counts for WB |work=] |date=May 15, 2005 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> and was shot over the course of sixty days<ref name="SHH set visit" /> in chronological order<ref name="sharp" /> with a budget of $60 million.<ref>{{cite news|author=Pamela McClintock |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117930401.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&query=%22frank+miller%22&display=frank+miller |title=Warners bets a bundle on swords-and-CGI ''300'' |work=] |date=October 9, 2005 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> Employing the ] technique, Snyder shot at the now-defunct Icestorm Studios in Montreal using ]s. Butler said that while he didn't feel constrained by Snyder's direction, fidelity to the comic imposed certain limitations on his performance. Wenham said there were times when Snyder wanted to precisely capture iconic moments from the comic book, and other times when he gave actors freedom "to explore within the world and the confines that had been set."<ref>{{cite news|author=Patrick Lee |url=http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=37249 |title=Butler Not Too Chafed By ''300'' |work=Sci Fi Wire |date=July 23, 2006 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> Headey said of her experience with the bluescreens, "It's very odd, and emotionally, there's nothing to connect to apart from another actor."<ref>{{cite news|author=Edward Douglas |url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/featuresnews.php?id=3785 |title=300's Queen Gorgo |work=SuperHeroHype.com |date=January 19, 2006 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> Only one scene, in which horses travel across the countryside, was shot outdoors.<ref>{{cite news|author=Mark Olsen |title=An epic battle is pumped up |work=Los Angeles Times |date=January 14, 2007 |url=http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/cl-ca-spartans14jan14,0,925494.story?coll=cl-movies |accessdate=April 26, 2007}}</ref> The film was an intensely physical production, and Butler pulled an arm tendon and developed a ].<ref>{{cite news|author=Jonah Weiland |title="300" – One-on-one with Gerard Butler |work=] |date=February 6, 2007 |url= http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=9572 |accessdate=April 26, 2007}}</ref>

] was handled by Montreal's Meteor Studios and Hybride Technologies filled in the bluescreen footage with more than 1500 ] shots. ] Chris Watts and ] Jim Bissell created a process dubbed "The Crush,"<ref name="SHH set visit" /> which allowed the Meteor artists to manipulate the colors by increasing the contrast of light and dark. Certain sequences were ] and tinted to establish different moods. Ghislain St-Pierre, who led the team of artists, described the effect: "Everything looks realistic, but it has a kind of a gritty illustrative feel."<ref name="SHH set visit" /><ref>{{cite news|author=Sean Davidson |url=http://www.playbackmag.com/articles/magazine/20060306/meteor.html |title=Meteor hits 300 |work=Playback |date=March 6, 2006 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> Various ]s, including ], ] and ], were used to create the "spraying blood."<ref>{{cite news|author=Sean Davidson |title=Meteor, Hybride pumped blood into 300 |work=Playback |date=March 8, 2007 |url=http://www.playbackmag.com/articles/daily/20070308/300.html |accessdate=March 10, 2007}}</ref> The post-production lasted for a year and was handled by a total of ten ]s companies.<ref>{{cite news|author=Lev Grossman |title=The Art of War |work=] |date=March 2, 2007 |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1595241,00.html |accessdate=March 7, 2007}}</ref>

==Soundtrack==
<!-- ATTENTION! PLEASE READ BEFORE EDITING! Please present potential changes to this section in the Discussion area prior to making them, as consensus has been reached on a number of issues that tend to be repeated here. -->
{{Main|300 (soundtrack)}}
In July 2005, composer ] had begun work on the film, describing the score as having "beautiful themes on the top and large choir," but "tempered with some extreme heaviness." The composer had scored for a test scene that the director wanted to show to Warner Bros. to illustrate the path of the project. Bates said that the score had "a lot of weight and intensity in the low end of the percussion" that Snyder found agreeable to the film.<ref>{{cite news|author=Daniel Robert Epstein |url=http://www.ugo.com/channels/music/features/tylerbates_music/interview.asp |title=Exclusive Interview with Tyler Bates, Score Composer for ''The Devil's Rejects'' |work=] |date=July 13, 2005 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> The score was recorded at ] and features the vocals of ].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://superherohype.com/news/300news.php?id=5108 |title=WB Records to Release ''300'' Soundtrack |work=SuperHeroHype.com |date=January 19, 2007 |accessdate=January 21, 2007}}</ref> A standard edition and a ] of the soundtrack containing 25 tracks was released on March 6, 2007, with the special edition containing a 16-page booklet and three two-sided ]s.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://music.ign.com/articles/760/760181p1.html |title=300 Soundtrack To Hit Hard |publisher=IGN |date=January 31, 2007 |accessdate=January 31, 2007}}</ref>

The score has given rise to some controversy in the film composer community, garnering criticism for its striking similarity to several other recent soundtracks, including ] and ]'s work for the film '']''. The heaviest borrowings are said to be from ]'s 1999 ] for '']''. "Remember Us," from ''300'', is identical in parts to the "]" from ''Titus'', and "Returns a King" is similar to the cue "]."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://musiconfilm.net/get_review.php?id=163 |title=300 |accessdate=March 18, 2007 |author=Justin Bielawa |date=February 27, 2007 |work=Music On Film |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmusiconfilm.net%2Fget_review.php%3Fid%3D163&date=September 28, 2008 |archivedate=September 28, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.movie-wave.net/titles/300.html |title=300 |accessdate=March 18, 2007 |author=James Southall |work=Movie Wave}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://scoremagacine.com/Resenas_det.php?Codigo=715 |title=300 |accessdate=March 18, 2007 |author=Demetris Christodoulides |work=Score Magazine |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fscoremagacine.com%2FResenas_det.php%3FCodigo%3D715&date=2008-09-28 |archivedate=September 28, 2008}}</ref> (See ].) On August 3, 2007, Warner Bros. Pictures acknowledged in an official statement:
<blockquote>
... a number of the music cues for the score of ''300'' were, without our knowledge or participation, derived from music composed by Academy Award winning composer Elliot Goldenthal for the motion picture ''Titus''. Warner Bros. Pictures has great respect for Elliot, our longtime collaborator, and is pleased to have amicably resolved this matter.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.300ondvd.com/ |title=300 on DVD |date=August 3, 2007 |accessdate=August 3, 2007}}</ref>
</blockquote>

==Promotion and release==
<!-- ATTENTION! PLEASE READ BEFORE EDITING! Please present potential changes to this section in the Discussion area prior to making them, as consensus has been reached on a number of issues that tend to be repeated here. -->
The official ''300'' website was launched by Warner Bros. in December 2005. The "conceptual art" and Zack Snyder's production blog were the initial attractions of the site.<ref>{{cite news |author=Stax |url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/678/678030p1.html |title=''300'' Invades the Web |publisher=IGN |date=December 22, 2005 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> Later, the website added video journals describing production details, including comic-to-screen shots and the creatures of ''300''. In January 2007, the studio launched a ] page for the film.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://superherohype.com/news/300news.php?id=5057 |title=''300'' MySpace Page Launched |work=SuperHeroHype.com |date=January 2, 2007 |accessdate=January 3, 2007}}</ref> ] created a micro-site to promote the film.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aionline.edu/speaker-series/frank-miller/ |title=Frank Miller: Graphic Novelist & Filmmaker |accessdate=March 5, 2007 |publisher=The Art Institutes}}</ref>

At ] in July 2006, the ''300'' panel aired a promotional teaser of the film, which was positively received.<ref>{{cite news|author=George A. Tramountanas |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=7946 |title=CCI Day 3: Warner Bros. Presents "300" |work=] |date=July 23, 2006 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> Despite stringent security, the trailer was subsequently leaked on the Internet.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/300news.php?id=4733 |title= UPDATE: The New ''300'' Promo Trailer! |work=SuperHeroHype.com |date=September 20, 2006 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> Warner Bros. released the official trailer for ''300'' on October 4, 2006,<ref name="official">{{cite news|url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/300news.php?id=4773 |title= Official ''300'' Trailer Hits! |work=SuperHeroHype.com |date=October 4, 2006 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> and later on it made its debut on Apple.com where it received considerable exposure. The ] used in the trailers was "]" by ]. A second ''300'' trailer, which was attached to '']'', was released in theaters on December 8, 2006,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://superherohype.com/news/tmntnews.php?id=4969 |title=New ''TMNT'' and ''300'' Trailers this Week |work=SuperHeroHype.com |date=December 3, 2006 |accessdate=December 3, 2006}}</ref> and online the day before.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://superherohype.com/news/300news.php?id=4981 |title=The ''300'' Theatrical Trailer! |work=SuperHeroHype.com |date=December 7, 2006 |accessdate=December 7, 2006}}</ref> On January 22, 2007, an exclusive trailer for the film was broadcast during ] television.<ref>{{cite news|title=300 Premiering in Berlin |work=SuperHeroHype.com |date=January 23, 2007 |url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/300news.php?id=5122 |accessdate=January 23, 2007}}</ref> The trailers have been credited with igniting interest in the film and contributing to its box-office success.<ref>{{cite news|title=Weekend Box Office (March 9 - 11, 2007) |work=boxofficeguru.com |date=March 11, 2007 |url=http://www.boxofficeguru.com/031207.htm |accessdate=March 18, 2007}}</ref>

In April 2006, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced its intention to make a ] game, '']'', based on the film. Collision Studios worked with Warner Bros. to capture the style of the film in the video game, which was released simultaneously with the film in the United States.<ref>{{cite news|author=Daemon Hatfield |url=http://psp.ign.com/articles/702/702319p1.html |title=300 Marches to PSP |publisher=IGN |date=April 19, 2006 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> The ] produced a series of ]s based on the film,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.necaonline.com/article/detail/44 |title=Spartans! Tonight We Dine in Hell! |publisher=] |date=November 13, 2006 |accessdate=December 1, 2006}}</ref> as well as replicas of weapons and armor.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.necaonline.com/article/detail/49 |title=Are You a Spartan or a Persian? |publisher=] |date=November 27, 2006 |accessdate=December 1, 2006}}</ref>

] promoted ''300'' by sponsoring the ]'s ] champion ], who made personal appearances and participated in other promotional activities.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://superherohype.com/news/300news.php?id=5049 |title=''300'' Teams with UFC's Chuck Liddell |work=SuperHeroHype.com |date=December 28, 2006 |accessdate=December 28, 2006}}</ref> The studio also joined with the ] to produce a 30-second TV spot promoting the film in tandem with the ] playoffs.<ref>{{cite news|author= Pamela McClintock |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117960501.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 |title= NHL promotes ''300'' |work=] |date=March 4, 2007 |accessdate=March 5, 2007}}</ref>

In August 2006, Warner Bros. announced ''300'''s release date as March 16, 2007,<ref>{{cite news|author=Stax |url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/724/724791p1.html |title=Warners Shuffles Dates |publisher=IGN |date=August 10, 2006 |accessdate=October 29, 2006}}</ref> but in October the release was moved forward to March 9, 2007.<ref name="official" /> ''300'' was released on ], ], and ] on July 31, 2007, in ] territories, in single-disc and two-disc editions. ''300'' was released in single-disc and steelcase two-disc editions on DVD, BD and HD DVD in ] territories beginning August 2007. On July 21, 2009, Warner Bros. released a new Blu-ray entitled ''300: The Complete Experience'' to coincide with the Blu-ray release of ]. This new Blu-ray is encased in a 40-page Digibook and includes all the extras from the original release as well as some new ones. These features include a Picture-in-Picture feature entitled ''The Complete 300: A Comprehensive Immersion'', which enables the viewer to view the film in three different perspectives. This release also includes a ].<ref>{{cite news | title=300: The Complete Experience Blu-ray|url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movies.php?id=1207&show=review|work=Blu-ray.com|date=July 23, 2009|accessdate=July 23, 2009}}</ref>

On July 9, 2007, the American ] channel ] bought the rights to broadcast the film from Warner Bros.<ref name="TVrights">{{cite web|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSN1031776620070710 |title=TNT spears "300" for basic cable |date=July 10, 2007 |accessdate=July 10, 2007 |work=Reuters}}</ref> TNT will be able to start airing the movie in September 2009. Sources say that the network paid between $17 million<ref name="TVrights2">{{cite web|url=http://www.canmag.com/nw/8263-300-tnt |title=TNT Loves 300 Spartans |date=July 9, 2007 |accessdate=July 10, 2007 |work=CanMag}}</ref> and just under $20 million<ref name="TVrights" /> for the movie. TNT agreed to a three-year deal instead of the more typical five-year deal.<ref name="TVrights2" />

==Reception==
===Box office===
<!-- ATTENTION! PLEASE READ BEFORE EDITING! Please present potential changes to this section in the Discussion area prior to making them, as consensus has been reached on a number of issues that tend to be repeated here. -->
''300'' was released in North America on March 9, 2007, in both conventional and IMAX theaters.<ref>{{cite web|year=2007 |title=300 The Movie Home Page |publisher=Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. |accessdate=February 14, 2007 |url=http://300themovie.warnerbros.com/}}</ref> It grossed $28,106,731 on its ] and ended its North American opening weekend with $70,885,301, breaking the record held by '']'' for the biggest opening weekend in the month of March.<ref>{{cite news|title=300 |work=Box Office Mojo |date=March 11, 2007 |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=300.htm |accessdate=March 11, 2007}}</ref> ''300'''s opening weekend gross is the 24th highest in box office history, coming slightly below '']'' but higher than '']''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Biggest Opening Weekends at the Box Office |work=] |date=March 13, 2007 |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/ |accessdate=March 13, 2007}}</ref> It was the third biggest opening for an R-rated film ever, behind '']'' ($91.8 million) and '']'' ($83.8 million).<ref>{{cite news|title=300... and 70 Million Dollars! |work=ComingSoon.net |date=March 11, 2007 |url=http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=19290 |accessdate=March 11, 2007}}</ref> The film also set a record for ] cinemas with a $3.6 million opening weekend.<ref>{{cite news|title=300 Sets IMAX Opening Records |work=SuperHeroHype.com |date=March 13, 2007 |url=http://www.superherohype.com/news.php?id=5330 |accessdate=March 13, 2007}}</ref>

''300'' opened two days earlier, on March 7, 2007, in ], and across Greece on March 8.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lgr.co.uk/events/highlighted/5914/homecoming-for-300-in-sparta/ |title="Homecoming" for ''300'' in Sparta |accessdate=March 25, 2007 |date=March 9, 2007 |publisher=London Greek Radio}}</ref><ref name="Kathimerini">{{cite news|title=''300'' wows Sparta home crowd despite some critics' complaints}}</ref> ] were surprised by the showing, which was twice what they had expected.<ref>{{cite news|author=Michael Cieply |title=Surprise! Spartans Assault Box Office |work=New York Times |date=March 12, 2007 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/movies/12boxo.html |accessdate=March 12, 2007}}</ref> They credit the movie's stylized violence, the strong female role of Queen Gorgo which attracted a large number of women to the movie, and the MySpace advertising blitz.<ref name="MySpace">{{cite news|title=''300'' a multi-pronged box-office triumph |agency=Associated Press |date=March 11, 2007 |url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070313/ap_en_mo/film300;_ylt=AsfRf3i2yUd1kToAhDBemjtxFb8C |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070920142424/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070313/ap_en_mo/film300;_ylt=AsfRf3i2yUd1kToAhDBemjtxFb8C |archivedate=September 20, 2007 |accessdate=March 11, 2007}}</ref> Producer Mark Canton said, "MySpace had an enormous impact but it has transcended the limitations of the Internet or the graphic novel. Once you make a great movie, word can spread very quickly."<ref name="MySpace" />

===Reviews===
<!-- ATTENTION! PLEASE READ BEFORE EDITING! Please present potential changes to this section in the Discussion area prior to making them, as consensus has been reached on a number of issues that tend to be repeated here. -->
Since its world premiere at the ] on February 14, 2007, in front of 1,700 audience members, ''300'' has received generally mixed reviews. While it received a ] at the public premiere,<ref>{{cite news|title=300 World Premiere Gets Standing Ovation |work=SuperHeroHype.com |date=February 2, 2007 |url=http://www.superherohype.com/news.php?id=5221 |accessdate=February 15, 2007}}</ref> it was reportedly panned at a press screening hours earlier, where many attendees left during the showing and those who remained booed at the end.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://2fwww.cinematical.com/2007/02/14/berlinale-update-300-screens-to-chorus-of-boos-in-berlin |title=Berlinale Update: 300 Screens To Chorus Of Boos In Berlin |accessdate=March 23, 2007 |author=Erik Davis |date=February 14, 2007 |work=Cinematical}}</ref> Critical reviews of ''300'' are divided.<ref name="MetaCritic">{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/300 |title=300 (2007) |accessdate=February 12, 2009 |work=]}}</ref> ] reports that 60 percent of North American and selected international critics gave the film a positive review, based upon a sample of 214, with an ] score of 6.1 out of 10.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/300/ |title=300 Movie Reviews |accessdate=December 6, 2009 |work=]}}</ref> Reviews from selected notable critics were 47 percent positive, giving the film an average score of 5.7 out of 10 based on a sample of 38.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/300/?critic=creamcrop |title=300 Movie Reviews: Cream of the Crop |accessdate=February 12, 2009 |work=]}}</ref> At ], which assigns a ] rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film has received an average score of 51 based on 35 reviews.<ref name="MetaCritic" />

]'s Todd McCarthy describes the film as "visually arresting" although "bombastic"<ref>{{cite news|author=Todd McCarthy |title=300 |work=] |date=February 14, 2007 |url=http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=features2007&content=jump&jump=review&dept=berlin&nav=Rberlin&articleid=VE1117932810 |accessdate=February 15, 2007}}</ref> while Kirk Honeycutt, writing in '']'', praises the "beauty of its ], colors and forms."<ref>{{cite news|author=Kirk Honeycutt |title=300 |work=] |date=February 15, 2007 |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film/reviews/article_display.jsp?&rid=8813 |accessdate=February 15, 2007}}</ref> Writing in the '']'', ] acclaims ''300'' as "the '']'' of cinematic graphic novels."<ref>{{cite news|author=] |title=Battle worthy: gloriously violent ''300'' sets bar for cinematic "comic books" |work=] |date=March 9, 2007 |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/roeper/289178,WKP-News-hundred09.article |accessdate=June 9, 2007}}</ref> ''300'' was also warmly received by websites focusing on comics and ]s. ]' Mark Cronan found the film compelling, leaving him "with a feeling of power, from having been witness to something grand."<ref>{{cite news|author=Mark Cronan |title=Review: "300" the movie |work=] |date=August 14, 2006 |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=8202 |accessdate=February 11, 2007}}</ref> ]'s Todd Gilchrist acclaimed Zack Snyder as a cinematic visionary and "a possible redeemer of modern moviemaking."<ref>{{cite news|author=Todd Gilchrist |title=IGN: 300 Review |publisher=IGN |date=February 12, 2007 |url=http://au.movies.ign.com/articles/763/763580p1.html |accessdate=February 13, 2007}}</ref>

A number of critical reviews appeared in major ]. ] of the '']'' describes ''300'' as "about as violent as '']'' and twice as stupid," while criticizing its ] and suggesting that its plot includes ] undertones.<ref>{{cite news|author=A.O. Scott |title=Battle of the Manly Men: Blood Bath With a Message |url=http://movies2.nytimes.com/2007/03/09/movies/09thre.html?em&ex=1173675600&en=f6ee4b6ad489acf4&ei=5087%0A |work=New York Times |date=March 9, 2007 |accessdate=March 24, 2007}}</ref> ] writes in the '']'' that "unless you love violence as much as a Spartan, ] or a video-game-playing teenage boy, you will not be endlessly fascinated."<ref>{{cite news|author=Kenneth Turan |title=The visually arresting ''300'' gets bogged down in blood and bodies |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/cl-et-three9mar09,0,7620364.story?coll=cl-movies-top-right |accessdate=March 17, 2007}}</ref> ], in his review, gave the film a two-star rating, writing, "''300'' has one-dimensional caricatures who talk like ] plugging their next feud."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080804/REVIEWS/506949713/1023 |title=300 :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews |publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com |accessdate=September 28, 2008}}</ref>

Some ] have been particularly critical, such as film critic Robby Eksiel, who said that moviegoers would be dazzled by the "digital action" but irritated by the "pompous interpretations and one-dimensional characters."<ref name="Kathimerini" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Greek critics lash Hollywood's ancient epic ''300'' |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/08/arts/EU-A-E-MOV-Greece-300.php |work=International Herald Tribune |date=March 8, 2007 |accessdate=March 24, 2007}}</ref>

===Awards and nominations===
]
At the ], ''300'' was nominated for Best Movie, Best Performance for Gerard Butler, Best Breakthrough Performance for Lena Headey, Best Villain for Rodrigo Santoro, and Best Fight for Leonidas battling "the Über Immortal."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1558337/story.jhtml |title=MTV Movie Awards Nominees: Pirates, Spartans — And That Crazy Kazakh |work=MTV |date=May 8, 2007 |accessdate=May 13, 2007}}</ref> It eventually won the award for Best Fight. ''300'' won both the Best Dramatic Film and Best Action Film honors in the 2006-2007 Golden Icon Awards presented by Travolta Family Entertainment.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.axcessnews.com/index.php/articles/show/id/12342 |title=Zack Snyder's Film "300" tops in Golden Icon Awards |work=Axccess News |accessdate=December 21, 2007}}</ref> In December 2007, ''300'' won ]'s Movie of the Year 2007,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.bestof.ign.com/2007/movies/18.html |title=IGN: Best of 2007 - Movie Awards, Movie of the Year |publisher=IGN |accessdate=December 31, 2007}}</ref> along with Best Comic Book Adaptation<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.bestof.ign.com/2007/movies/8.html |title=IGN: Best of 2007 - Movie Awards, Best Comic Book Adaptation |publisher=IGN |accessdate=December 31, 2007}}</ref> and King Leonidas as Favorite Character.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.bestof.ign.com/2007/movies/17.html |title=IGN: Best of 2007 - Movie Awards, Favorite Character |publisher=IGN |accessdate=December 31, 2007}}</ref> At the 2008 ], the movie won the award for ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saturnawards.org/ |title="Enchanted" and "Lost" are the big winners at the 34th Annual Saturn Awards |work=Saturnawards.org |accessdate=May 27, 2009}}</ref>

In 2009, ] magazine ranked "300" number 5 on its 25 Best Conservative Movies of the Last 25 Years list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nrd.nationalreview.com/article/?q=YWQ4MDlhMWRkZDQ5YmViMDM1Yzc0MTE3ZTllY2E3MGM= |title=The Best Conservative Movies on National Review / Digital |publisher=Nrd.nationalreview.com |date=February 23, 2009 |accessdate=May 27, 2009}}</ref>

===Historical accuracy===
<!-- ATTENTION! PLEASE READ BEFORE EDITING! Please present potential changes to this section in the Discussion area prior to making them, as consensus has been reached on a number of issues that tend to be repeated here. -->
''300's'' director ] stated in an MTV interview that "the events are 90 percent accurate. It's just in the visualization that it's crazy.... I've shown this movie to world-class historians who have said it's amazing. They can't believe it's as accurate as it is." He continues that the film is "an opera, not a documentary. That's what I say when people say it's historically inaccurate."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1554534/20070313/story.jhtml |title=''300'' Trivia: Albino Giants, Sequel Chances — And Sienna Miller |accessdate=March 23, 2007 |author=Josh Horowitz |date=March 13, 2007 |work=MTV}}</ref> He was also quoted in a ] story as saying that the film is, at its core "a ]."<!--<ref>"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcuudK3SPJE</ref>--> He also describes the film's narrator, Dilios, as "a guy who knows how not to wreck a good story with truth."<ref name="scifi" />

], Professor of ] at ], advised the filmmakers on the ] names, and states that they "made good use" of his published work on Sparta. He praises the film for its portrayal of "the Spartans' heroic code," and of "the key role played by women in backing up, indeed reinforcing, the male martial code of heroic honour," while expressing reservations about its "'West' (goodies) vs 'East' (baddies) polarization."<ref>{{cite news|author=Dan Vergano |title=This is Sparta? The history behind the movie ''300'' |url=http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/columnist/vergano/2007-03-05-300-history_N.htm |work=USA Today |date=March 6, 2007 |accessdate=March 24, 2007}}</ref> Cartledge writes that he enjoyed the film, although he found Leonidas' description of the Athenians as "boy lovers" ironic, since the Spartans themselves incorporated ] into their educational system.<ref>{{cite news|author=] |title=Another View: Paul Cartledge, Professor of Greek History, on ''300'' |url=http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,2048122,00.html |work=The Guardian |date=April 2, 2007 |accessdate=June 9, 2007}}</ref>

Ephraim Lytle, assistant professor of Hellenistic History at the ], states that ''300'' selectively idealizes Spartan society in a "problematic and disturbing" fashion, as well as portraying the "hundred nations of the Persians" as monsters and non-Spartan Greeks as weak. He suggests that the film's moral universe would have seemed "as bizarre to ] as it does to modern historians."<ref>{{cite news|author=Ephraim Lytle |title=Sparta? No. This is madness |url=http://www.thestar.com/article/190493 |work=] |date=March 11, 2007 |accessdate=March 24, 2007}}</ref>

], '']'' columnist and former professor of Classical history at ], who wrote the foreword to a 2007 re-issue of the graphic novel, states that the film demonstrates a specific affinity with the original material of ] in that it captures the martial ethos of ancient Sparta and represents Thermopylae as a "clash of civilizations." He remarks that ], ] and ] viewed Thermopylae as a battle against "Eastern centralism and collective serfdom," which opposed "the idea of the free citizen of an autonomous ]."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-journal.org/html/rev2007-03-07vdh.html |title=With Your Shield or On It |accessdate=March 18, 2007 |author=Victor Davis Hanson |date=March 7, 2007 |work=]}}</ref> He further states that the film portrays the battle in a "surreal" manner, and that the intent was to "entertain and shock first, and instruct second."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.townhall.com/columnists/VictorDavisHanson/2007/03/22/300_fact_or_fiction |title=''300'' Fact or Fiction? |accessdate=March 23, 2007 |author=Victor Davis Hanson |date=March 22, 2007 |work=Townhall.com}}</ref>

], now Baskerville Professor of Iranian History and the Persiante World at the ], criticizes the movie's use of classical sources, writing:
<blockquote>
Some passages from the Classical authors Aeschylus, ], Herodotus and ] are spilt over the movie to give it an authentic flavor. Aeschylus becomes a major source when the battle with the "monstrous human herd" of the Persians is narrated in the film. Diodorus' statement about Greek valor to preserve their liberty is inserted in the film, but his mention of Persian valor is omitted. Herodotus' fanciful numbers are used to populate the Persian army, and Plutarch's discussion of Greek women, specifically Spartan women, is inserted wrongly in the dialogue between the "]" Persian ambassador and the Spartan king. Classical sources are certainly used, but exactly in all the wrong places, or quite naively. The Athenians were fighting a sea battle during this.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iranian.com/Daryaee/2007/March/300/index.html |title=Go tell the Spartans |accessdate=March 23, 2007 |author=Touraj Daryaee |date=March 14, 2007 |work=iranian.com}}</ref>
</blockquote>

], former editor-in-chief of ] and author of ''How to Know'' states that the film "is an almost ineffably silly movie. Stills from the film could easily be used to promote Buns of Steel, or AbMaster, or ThighMaster. It’s about the romanticizing of the Spartan “ideal,” a process that began even in ancient times, was promoted by the Romans, and has survived over time while less and less resembling the actual historical Sparta."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2008/01/movie-review-300/ |title=Romanticizing the Spartan: 300 (Movie Review) | accessdate=September 13, 2008}}</ref>

===Controversy===
<!-- ATTENTION! PLEASE READ BEFORE EDITING! Please present potential changes to this section in the Discussion area prior to making them, as consensus has been reached on a number of issues that tend to be repeated here. -->
] as ].]]
Before the release of ''300'', Warner Brothers expressed concerns about the political aspects of the film's theme. Snyder relates that there was "a huge sensitivity about East versus West with the studio."<ref>{{cite news|author=Sheigh Crabtree |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-ca-3004mar04,1,6828604.story |title=Giving ''300'' movie a comic-book grandeur |work=Los Angeles Times |date=March 4, 2007 |accessdate=March 8, 2007}}</ref>
Media speculation about a possible parallel between the Greco-Persian conflict and current events began in an interview with Snyder that was conducted before the Berlin Film Festival.<ref>{{cite news|author=Michael Cieply |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/05/movies/05spartans.html |title=That Film's Real Message? It Could Be "Buy A Ticket" |work=New York Times |date=March 5, 2007 |accessdate=March 6, 2007}}</ref> The interviewer remarked that "everyone is sure to be translating this into contemporary politics." Snyder replied that, while he was aware that people would read the film through the lens of contemporary events, no parallels between the film and the contemporary world were intended.<ref>{{cite news|author=Jason Silverman |url=http://www.wired.com/news/culture/1,72775-0.html |title=300 Brings History to Bloody Life |work=] |date=February 22, 2007 |accessdate=March 17, 2007}}</ref>

Outside the current political parallels, some critics have raised more general questions about the film's ideological orientation. The '']''{{'}}s ] writes that the film would have pleased "]'s boys,"<ref>{{cite news|author=Kyle Smith |url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/03092007/entertainment/movies/persian_shrug_movies_kyle_smith.htm |title=Persian Shrug |work=] |date=March 9, 2007 |accessdate=March 16, 2007}}</ref> and '']'''s Dana Stevens compares the film to ], "as a textbook example of how race-baiting fantasy and nationalist myth can serve as an incitement to total war."<ref>{{cite news|author=Dana Stevens |url=http://www.slate.com/id/2161450/ |title=A Movie Only a Spartan Could Love |work=] |date=March 8, 2007 |accessdate=March 16, 2007}}</ref> Roger Moore, a critic for the '']'', relates ''300'' to ]'s definition of "] art."<ref>{{cite news|author=Roger Moore |url=http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_movies_blog/2007/03/300_as_fascist_.html |title=300 as Fascist Art |work=] |date=March 7, 2007 |accessdate=March 16, 2007}}</ref> ], an ] political party formed from the collapse of the ] party ], has interpreted the values of the work within candidate propaganda posters titled: "''Defend your values, your civilization, your district''".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/?s=cartooner |title=The cross-cultural appeal of Frank Miller |date=February 8, 2008}}</ref>

However, '']'' critic Gene Seymour stated that such reactions are misguided, writing that "the movie's just too darned silly to withstand any ideological theorizing."<ref>{{cite news|author=Gene Seymour|url=http://www.allbusiness.com/humanities-social-science/history/11900802-1.html|title=On the field of this battle, war is swell|work=]|publisher=]|date=March 9, 2007|accessdate=September 20, 2009}}</ref> Snyder himself dismissed ideological readings, suggesting that reviewers who critique "a graphic novel movie about a bunch of guys...stomping the snot out of each other" using words like " 'neocon,' 'homophobic,' 'homoerotic' or 'racist' " are "missing the point."<ref>{{cite news|author=Jonah Weiland |title="300" Post-game: One-on-one with Zack Snyder |work=] |date=March 14, 2007 |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=9982 |accessdate=March 16, 2007}}</ref>

], portrayed in the movie by ].<ref>http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2007/03/09/nb-maillet300.html</ref>]]
Since its opening, ''300'' also attracted controversy over its portrayal of ]. Various critics, historians, journalists, and officials of the Iranian government including President ]<ref>{{cite news|author=Ali Jaafar |title=Iran president irked by ''300'' |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117961560.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 |work=] |date=March 21, 2007 |accessdate=March 24, 2007}}</ref> denounced the film.<ref name="metimes.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070313-083328-5668r |title=Iran outraged by Hollywood war epic "300" |work=Middle East Times |date=March 13, 2007 |accessdate=March 13, 2007}}</ref><ref name="Iran condemns Hollywood war epic">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6446183.stm |title=Iran condemns Hollywood war epic |work=BBC |date=March 13, 2007 |accessdate=March 13, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Iran's U.N. Mission Outraged at ''300'' |url=http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/arts/AP-UN-Iran-Movie.html?ex=1175313600&en=a161577676688e8f&ei=5070 |work=New York Times |date=March 23, 2007 |accessdate=March 24, 2007}}</ref> As in the graphic novel, the Persians were depicted as a monstrous, barbaric and demonic horde, and King ] was portrayed as ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.afterelton.com/movies/2007/3/300-2.html |title=Frank Miller and 300's Assault on the Gay Past |author=François Peneaud and Joe Palmer |work=AfterElton.com — Gay and Bisexual Men in Entertainment and the Media |accessdate=March 18, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/movies/display?display=movie&id=8392 |title=300 Movie Review, Sweating it out at the Hot Gates |author=Wesley Morris |work=Boston Globe |accessdate=March 19, 2007 |date= March 9, 2007}}</ref> Critics suggested that this was meant to stand in stark contrast to the masculinity of the Spartan army.<ref>{{cite news|author=Stephen Hunter |title=''300'': A Losing Battle in More Ways Than 1 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/08/AR2007030802188.html?nav=hcmodule |work=Washington Post |date=March 9, 2007 |accessdate=March 9, 2007}}</ref> Steven Rea argued that the film's Persians were a vehicle for an anachronistic cross-section of Western stereotypes of Asian and African cultures.<ref>{{cite news|author=Steven Rea |title=Just 300, but CG on their side |work=] |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_kmtpi/is_200703/ai_n18699654/|format=Registration required|date=March 9, 2007|accessdate=September 20, 2009}}</ref>

The film's portrayal of ancient ] caused a particularly strong reaction in ].<ref name="hnn">{{cite news|author=Gary Leupp |title=A Racist and Insulting Film - ''300'' vs. Iran (and Herodotus) |url=http://www.counterpunch.org/leupp03312007.html |work=Counterpunch |date=March 31, 2007 |accessdate=April 16, 2007}}</ref> ] of '']'' reported that ] was "outraged" following the film's release. Moaveni identified two factors which may have contributed to the intense reaction: its release on the eve of ], the Persian ], and the common Iranian view of the ] as "a particularly noble page in their history."<ref name="metimes.com" /><ref name="Iran condemns Hollywood war epic" /><ref>{{cite news|author=Azadeh Moaveni |work=] |title= ''300'' Sparks an Outcry in Iran |date= March 13, 2007 |accessdate=March 14, 2007 |url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1598886,00.html?cnn=yes}}</ref> Various Iranian officials condemned the film.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=2277&sectionid=351020101 |title=Iran official condemns Hollywood movie |work=Press TV |date=March 10, 2007 |accessdate=March 11, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Robert Tait |title=Spartans film is psychological war, says Iran |work=The Guardian |url=http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2034326,00.html |date=March 15, 2007 |accessdate=March 16, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8512220430 |title=Movie "300" an Insult to Iranians |publisher=] |date=March 13, 2007 |accessdate=March 13, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Rober Tait |work=The Guardian |date=March 14, 2007 |accessdate=March 14, 2007 |title=Iran accuses Hollywood of "psychological warfare" |url=http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2033630,00.html}}</ref> The ] submitted a formal complaint against the movie to ], labelling it an attack on the historical identity of Iran.<ref>{{cite news|work=Payvand News |title=Iranian Academy of Arts to submit UNESCO declaration against ''300'' |date=March 16, 2007 |accessdate=March 18, 2007 |url=http://www.payvand.com/news/07/mar/1224.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|work=BBC |title=Iran complains to UNESCO |date=March 18, 2007 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/arts/story/2007/03/070317_an-unesco-300.shtml |accessdate=March 20, 2007}}</ref> The Iranian mission to the U.N. protested the film in a ],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.irna.com/en/news/view/line-22/0703228683135650.htm |title=Iran's UN mission: Movie 300 is full of deliberate distortions |date=March 22, 2007 |accessdate=March 23, 2007 |publisher=Islamic Republic News Agency}}</ref> and Iranian embassies protested its screening in France,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8601020055 |title=Embassy of Iran Protests at Screening of ''300'' Film in France |date=March 22, 2007 |accessdate=March 23, 2007 |publisher=Fars News Agency}}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iribnews.ir/Full_en.asp?news_id=234151&n=16 |title=IRI slams ''300'' show in Thailand |date=March 30, 2007 |accessdate=March 31, 2007 |publisher=IRIB News}}</ref> ]<ref>{{cite news|title=İran’ın ’300’e tepkisi sürüyor |language=Turkish |work=NTV |date=March 27, 2007 |url=http://www.ntv.com.tr/news/403241.asp |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071223150120/http://www.ntv.com.tr/news/403241.asp |archivedate=December 23, 2007 | accessdate=March 28, 2007}}</ref> and ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-16/0704018548200207.htm |title=Embassy protests to screening of anti-Iranian movie in Uzbekistan |date=April 1, 2007 |accessdate=April 1, 2007 |publisher=]}}</ref>

]n philosopher and author ] defended the movie from those who attacked it. He wrote that the story represents "a poor, small country (Greece) invaded by the army of a much large state (Persia)," suggesting that the identification of the Spartans with a modern superpower is flawed. Instead of seeing a "fundamentalist" aspect in the Spartan identity, he stated that "all modern egalitarian radicals, from ] to the ]...imagined the republican France as a new Sparta."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacan.com/zizhollywood.htm |author=] |title=The True Hollywood Left |publisher=www.lacan.com}}</ref>

In response to the criticisms, a Warner Bros. spokesman stated that the film ''300'' "is a work of fiction inspired by the Frank Miller graphic novel and loosely based on a historical event. The studio developed this film purely as a fictional work with the sole purpose of entertaining audiences; it is not meant to disparage an ethnicity or culture or make any sort of ]."<ref name="hnn" />

The original ''300'' creator, ], has made the following statement about the work in question: "''For some reason, nobody seems to be talking about who we’re up against, and the sixth century barbarism that they actually represent. These people saw people’s heads off. They enslave women, they genitally mutilate their daughters, they do not behave by any cultural norms that are sensible to us. I’m speaking into a microphone that never could have been a product of their culture, and I’m living in a city where three thousand of my neighbors were killed by thieves of airplanes they never could have built.''"<ref>Interview on ''Talk of the Nation'' (]) as quoted in </ref> He also explained the upcoming work "]", a story wherein ] takes on ], as: "''It is, not to put too fine a point on it, a piece of propaganda ... ] punched out ]. So did ]. That's one of the things they're there for.''"<ref>On ], as quoted in </ref>

==Popular culture==
''300'' has been ] in various media, spawning the "This is Sparta!" ],<ref>{{cite web|author=Steve Spalding |url=http://howtosplitanatom.com/news/how-to-explore-internet-memes/ |title=How To Explore Internet Memes |publisher= |date=September 30, 2007 |accessdate=October 31, 2007}}</ref> with parodies also appearing in film and television. These include the ] '']'', which won the Movie Spoof Award at the ]. ] based upon the film have appeared on '']''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://backwardfive.com/2007/03/24/saturday-night-live-march-24-2007/ |title=''Saturday Night Live'', March 24, 2007 |publisher=Backwardfive.com |accessdate=May 27, 2009}}</ref> and '']'', the latter of which mimicked the visual style of ''300'' in a parody set during the American Revolutionary War, titled "1776."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weshow.com/us/p/20903/1776_robot_chicken_300_spoof |title="Moesha Poppins", Robot Chicken episode #50}}</ref> ] released '']'', a spoof of ''300''. ] is planning a similar parody, titled ''National Lampoon's 301: The Legend of Awesomest Maximus Wallace Leonidas''.<ref>{{cite web|author=Jeff Giles |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/national_lampoons_christmas_vacation_2_cousin_eddies_big_island_adventure/news/1676825/ |title=National Lampoon + Kevin Dillon = A 300 Spoof |work=Rotten Tomatoes |date=October 3, 2007 |accessdate=October 31, 2007}}</ref> ''300'' was also parodied in an episode of '']'' named "]".<ref>{{cite news|author=Travis Fickett |url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/780/780079p1.html |title=South Park: "D-Yikes" Review |publisher=IGN |date=April 12, 2007 |accessdate=December 29, 2007}}</ref>

''300'', particularly its pithy quotations, have been "adopted" by the student body of ] (whose sports teams are nicknamed the ]), with chants of "Spartans, what is your profession?" becoming common at sporting events starting after the movie's release, and ] head coach ] dressed as Leonidas at one student event.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2007/09/letter_charron_091907 |title="300" cheer shows unity, reflects Spartan history |accessdate=February 13, 2009 |work=] |date=September 18, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statenews.com/media/00/00/02/61/26178_MJN_FEA_MidnightMadness2_10.jpg |title=Photograph of Tom Izzo at Midnight Madness |accessdate=February 13, 2009 |work=] |date=October 14, 2007}}</ref>

==Sequel/prequel==
In June 2008, producers Mark Canton, Gianni Nunnari and Bernie Goldmann revealed that work had begun on a sequel/prequel to ''300''.<ref>{{cite web|author=Frosty |url=http://www.collider.com/entertainment/interviews/article.asp/aid/8326/tcid/1 |title=Producers Mark Canton, Gianni Nunnari and Bernie Goldmann Exclusive Video Interview |work=Collider.com |date=June 25, 2008 |accessdate=June 26, 2008}}</ref> Legendary Pictures has announced that Frank Miller is writing the follow-up graphic novel, and Zack Snyder has declared his interest in directing the adaptation, though he is waiting until he sees the graphic novel before officially signing onto the project. The new film's title is rumored to be ''Xerxes''.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117988284.html |title=New ''300'' rallies troops |author=Diane Garrett |work=] |publisher=] |date=June 29, 2008 |accessdate=June 30, 2008}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|3}}

==External links==
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{{wikiquote}}
{{Spoken Misplaced Pages|300 (film).ogg|February 13, 2009}}
*{{official|http://300themovie.warnerbros.com/}}
*{{Amg movie|334031|300}}
*{{imdb title|0416449|300}}
*{{mojo title|300|300}}
*{{shh|id=300|title=300}}
*{{rotten-tomatoes|300|300}}
*{{metacritic film|300|300}}

{{Zack Snyder}}
{{Frank Miller}}
{{Dark Horse Comics films}}
{{featured article}}

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Revision as of 03:57, 16 January 2010

2007 Template:FilmUS film
300
Original theatrical release poster
Directed byZack Snyder
Written byScreenplay:
Zack Snyder
Kurt Johnstad
Michael Gordon
Comic book:
Frank Miller
Lynn Varley
Produced byFrank Miller
Gianni Nunnari
Jeffrey Silver
Mark Canton
Bernie Goldmann
StarringGerard Butler
Lena Headey
David Wenham
Dominic West
Vincent Regan
Rodrigo Santoro
Narrated byDavid Wenham
CinematographyLarry Fong
Edited byWilliam Hoy
Music byTyler Bates
Production
companies		Legendary Pictures
Virtual Studios
Atmosphere Pictures
Hollywood Gang
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release datesGreece
March 7, 2007
United States
March 9, 2007
Running time117 minutes
CountryTemplate:FilmUS
LanguageEnglish
Budget$70 million
Box office$456,068,181

THIS IS SPARTA

  1. Corliss, Richard (March 14, 2007). "7 Reasons Why 300 Is a Huge Hit". Time. Retrieved November 18, 2008.
  2. "300 (2007)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 8, 2009.