300: Rise of an Empire (2014) is a sequel and companion film to 300 (2006), based on Frank Millerβs graphic novel Xerxes. The movie expands on the events of the first film, depicting the battles that occur before, during, and after King Leonidas and his 300 Spartansβ last stand at Thermopylae.
The story follows the Athenian general Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton), who seeks to unite all of Greece against the Persian invasion led by King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro). The Persian forces are commanded by Artemisia (Eva Green), a fierce and vengeful naval commander who harbors deep hatred for the Greeks.
As Themistocles leads the Greek navy in a desperate battle against Artemisiaβs fleet, he faces overwhelming odds. Meanwhile, Queen Gorgo of Sparta (Lena Headey) rallies the Spartan warriors to join the fight after learning of her husbandβs sacrifice.
The film culminates in an epic naval battle, where Themistocles inspires his warriors to fight for Greeceβs freedom. With the arrival of the Spartans, the united Greek forces launch a counterattack against the Persians, setting the stage for future battles in the war against Xerxes.
