According to the Hollywood Reporter, Zach Snyder, the director of the stylish remake of Dawn of the Dead, will helm a screen adaptation of Frank Miller's Dark Horse graphic novel about the heroic 300 Spartans who held off the Persian hordes at the Battle of Thermopylae.  In addition to directing, Snyder will also rewrite the screenplay with Kurt Johnstad based on a first draft by Michael Gordon.  Warner Bros. Pictures, Atmosphere Entertainment, and Hollywood Gang Productions will jointly produce and distribute the film.

 

The success of Troy, which has earned $130 million domestically (and even more abroad), has undoubtedly provided the final impetus to get this project moving.  The 'sword and sandal' genre has made a strong comeback in recent years thanks to the success of such films as Gladiator and Troy.  Certainly Miller's 300 has similar epic potential, though the producers will have to decide how to deal with the historically accurate depiction of male nudity in Miller's work.  Chances are, if the film get's made, retailers will be able to interest potential customers in the more 'authentic' graphic novel version of the epic event.