Zack Snyder is planning to shoot his adaptation of Frank Miller’s Xerxes in 3-D.  The movie will not be either a prequel or a sequel since it takes place at roughly the same time as the Battle of Thermopylae, which was the subject of 300.

Snyder explained to the Latino Review that he is nearly half done with the script for Xerxes, which will focus on the exploits of Themistocles, the leader of democratic Athens (see “Snyder Writing 300 Sequel”).  The action in Xerxes will focus on two key naval encounters, the Battle of Artemisium, which was fought concurrently with the Battle of Thermopylae.  The Greeks suffered heavy losses and retreated, but regrouped and lured the Persian fleet into the cramped straits of Salamis and decisively defeated Xerxes' huge armada in the Battle of Salamis, which will provide the conclusion to the Xerxes movie.

While Snyder does plan to shoot Xerxes in 3-D, he told the Latino Review that he plans to shoot the film in the same visual style he used in 300, which captured the graphic look of Miller’s original 300 comics.  Dark Horse, which published 300, is planning to publish Miller’s Xerxes comics.