Still, 300: Rise of an Empire's greatest asset is that it's pretty good and gives you exactly what you hoped for in you were so inclined to see it in the first place. We'll know when we know, but this could be an idea whose time has passed. and company are hoping for at least $400 million given the whole 3D thing. Heck, even a mere $300 million (think Wrath of the Titans, another 'no one asked for it' sequel to a swords-and-sandals fantasy) would be fine in the long run, although you have to assume that Warner Bros. Even double the mere $65 million cost of 3oo would put it at $130 million, which (if that were the case) isn't too bad for this kind of spectacle. Unless costs spiraled out of control (and I have no reason to believe they did), something noticeably lower than the $456 million worldwide total would be just fine. I don't have official budget numbers, but I'd presume over/under $100 million. The film has little of the cultural zeitgeist this time around (it's not quite the warmongering propaganda that the first film was), but it also has the advantage of 3D and an expanded overseas marketplace.Īll of this is a way of saying that 300: Rise of an Empire could go either way. Still, the first 300 was partially based on the fact that the film just looked neat, and it stands to reason that many casual moviegoers will also think this one looks cool too and flock accordingly. Time Warner) wanted to make more than any artistic participants. Zack Snyder has directed four films in that time, and the project always felt like one that the studios (Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros., a division of The burning question is whether or not seven years is too long to wait for a sequel to 300. Like many of the Marvel Studios films, the 300 series seems to operate more on the female gaze than the stereotypical male gaze, which is one thing that makes it stand out in the marketplace. This one does the same, with Eva Green also offering prurient interest for those so inclined while also giving the best performance in the film. The first film played well across all demographics, offering beefy eye-candy for women and gay men and large-scale action for men and women of both orientations. It's unapologetically R-rated in a sea of PG-13 compromises, and as such it should be the easy pick for moviegoers old enough to buy an R-rated movie ticket. The good news is that there is literally nothing in the marketplace of this nature.

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