FRANK MILLER'S GRAPHIC NOVEL "300" ROCKS THE BIG SCREEN

The legendary Battle of Thermopylae comes to the screen in its astounding visual gore and glory in Warner Bros.' new action-adventure "300." Directed by Zack Snyder, "300" stars Gerard Butler ("Phantom of the Opera"), Lena Headey ("The Brothers Grimm"), David Wenham ("The Lord of the Rings" trilogy), Rodrigo Santoro ("Love Actually") and Dominic West ("The Forgotten").

Based on the popular epic graphic novel by Frank Miller, "300" is a ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas (Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army.

Facing insurmountable odds, their valor and sacrifice inspire all of Greece to unite against their Persian enemy, drawing a line in the sand for democracy. The film brings Miller's ("Sin City") acclaimed graphic novel to life by combining live action with virtual backgrounds that capture his distinct vision of this ancient historic tale.

Leonidas determines that the cities themselves cannot be held so the only way to halt Xerxes' seemingly inevitable march towards victory is to make their stand at the Hot Gates (a.k.a. the Gates of Fire), an imposing, narrow mountain pass that will give the Spartans a distinct advantage over Xerxes' sheer numbers. The Persians fall for Leonidas' ploy, underestimating the effectiveness of The Hot Gates and the Spartans' will to survive.

The highly stylized cinematography and direction of "300" is, like "Sin City" --- an almost direct translation of Miller's imagery to the silver screen. The 300 Spartans of Miller's imagination are recreated here in exquisite detail, down to the way how their capes flow and battle gear moves.

Opening soon across the Philippines, "300" is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Entertainment Company.