An awesome Gerard Butl;er will be streaming on Netflix soon!
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Netflix seems to be enjoying Zack Snyder’s work more than ever. Following the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the director went forward with the zombie film Army of the Dead and heist prequel Army of Thieves for the streaming platform (per Variety). Now Netflix is capitalizing on Snyder again. As of January 1st, fans can relieve the epic visuals of 300 when it becomes available for streaming. The film starred Gerard Butler and Lena Headey as the rulers of Sparta during a conflict with Xerxes. Released a decade and a half ago, there are reasons why the film still resonates.
Snyder’s 300 was adapted from Frank Miller’s graphic novel of the same name. Miller is also notable for his visual style. One of his most notable works was the series Sin City which was adapted for the screen by Robert Rodriguez in 2005 (via Cinema Blend). 300 came shortly after to great appreciation from fans, though less from critics if Rotten Tomatoes is to be believed. Gerard Butler portrays King Leonidas, the Spartan king who ruled during the historical conflict. An article for Ranker points out that while it was true that 300 Spartan warriors stood against the Persians, that is about where the similarities ended. That seems to matter very little to audiences because Snyder created a film that is an unforgettable watch.
Gerard Butler and Snyder’s passion contributed to the excitement of the film. The Hollywood Reporter spoke to Butler after the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League and the actor recalled his experiences on the 2007 film. When Butler met Snyder to discuss the film over coffee, Butler couldn’t help but bond with the director instantly. The two artists fed off each other’s energy and became excited about the journey they were going to embark on. 300 is known for the fit soldiers going into battle and ultimately accepting their death in the end. Because of the limited clothing, Butler made sure that he was in shape.
Gerard Butler worked out for six hours a day, but that may have been to his detriment. “In some ways I was ruining my body, but I was looking amazing doing it,” admitted Butler. He also had other concerns when it came to the production. Though he and Snyder got along well, the days of computer graphics had just begun. George Lucas employed the use of bluescreens in the Star Wars prequels, though it impacted the actors’ process (via CBR). When on set for 300, Butler wondered how the final product would turn out. The film also employed bluescreens, making Butler worried if the film would come out terribly.
But upon release, Gerard Butler and Zack Snyder were vindicated. The film came out in 2007 and though it lacked depth, it was praised for many other elements (via Collider). 300 didn’t look like any other film of its ilk. The historical epic Troy was the most comparable, but did not utilize the graphics that 300 did. This brought many people to the theater, eventually reaching box office numbers of $456 million around the world.
Though Gerard Butler’s King Leonidas did not survive the standoff, that didn’t stop the film from becoming a franchise. 300: Rise of An Empire was released in 2014 and was a prequel to the tale everyone had come to know. It entailed the story of how Xerxes became the Persian God-King (via Den of Geek). The film also capitalized on Eva Green’s enigmatic performances. She also starred in another Frank Miller property Sin City: A Dame To Kill For in the same year. 300: Rise of An Empire did not do as well as its predecessor. It made $337 million worldwide (via Indie Wire).
Despite this upset, there had been plans for Zack Snyder to write a third 300 film. Snyder revealed that there had been a tentative deal with Warner Brothers over the pandemic to continue the story in some fashion. Unfortunately, it would never come to be. Snyder couldn’t wrap his head around it and attempted an Alexander the Great story instead. This would have come closer to a love story than a war epic, but Warner Brothers was not interested. Snyder’s original deal was effectively dead in the water. Regardless, Snyder continues to be prolific in his projects, though it seems audiences are more accepting over on Netflix. Gerard Butler continues to produce content despite the pandemic as well. He currently has no less than four films in post-production. Fans can expect a sequel to Den of Thieves and Greenland in the near future. In the mean time, Butler’s film Law Abiding Citizen is available on Netflix to stream.
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