EXCLUSIVE: ‘300’ Producer Says Sequel ‘Looking Good,’ Won’t Rule Out Gerard Butler Resurrection

http://splashpage.mtv.com/2009/07/02/exclusive-300-producer-says-sequel-looking-good-wont-rule-out-gerard-butler-resurrection/

EXCLUSIVE: ‘300’ Producer Says Sequel ‘Looking Good,’ Won’t Rule Out Gerard Butler Resurrection

Published by Larry Carroll on Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 6:44 pm.
Now that “300” is coming out with a super-duper, bells-and-whistles “Complete Experience” Blu-Ray disc on the 21st, it’s had me thinking about the first few times I saw the movie. Like many, I went in not knowing what to expect and came out in awe of Zack Snyder’s flick. And, like many, I’m a bit nervous about the news that Snyder, Frank Miller and their team are willing to revisit the Spartans — but hoping I’ll once again be awestruck.

“Frank’s working on something,” revealed producer Mark Canton when I caught up with him recently, telling me that he’s onboard to return for Snyder’s “300” sequel. “That, Zack has said.”

Canton, who is currently hard at work on a diverse slate including September’s “Fame,” March’s “Piranha 3-D” and the May 2010 romantic drama “Letters to Juliet,” said that although Snyder and Miller have agreed on the basic setting of the story, things are moving along slowly but surely.

“Things are always looking good with ‘300,’ it’s a blessing and a gift. Zack’s a genius, and no matter where you go it’s the one movie that people around the world seem to somewhat identify with the most,” explained Canton, who has also produced “Land of the Dead” and the J. Lo drama “Angel Eyes.” “We’re thrilled for [a sequel]; it’ll be a blast. There’s a new Blu-Ray coming out all over again shortly, so that’s great. It’s like the gift that never stops giving.”

And if Canton has his way, the gift will continue to give with a follow-up-film for the $210 million grossing movie. “[The key to the sequel] is about getting it right, you know,” the producer said of their dilemma after having killed off virtually the entire cast in the first film. “Frank is a perfectionist, and so is Zack. And I think they set the bar pretty high.”

But if you’re thinking that no sequel could ever be the same without Gerard Butler, don’t worry — because Canton revealed to us that even King Leonidas could be brought back from the dead. “Never assume anything; never assume anything,” he repeated when I asked if the original cast were gone for good. “It’ll be what it’ll be. But if we really do it, in this case, we have a visionary creator and a visionary filmmaker.”

Would you like to see Gerard Butler return in the “300” sequel? Any suggestions on how Snyder, Miller and crew could pull it off?

A blu ray with everything? I'll believe it if they put in the Spartan swimming scene...

There's a swimming scene?

In one of the international trailers, there is at least one scene that never showed up in the movie.

I can't find it on youtube anymore, but here it is on the Fass multiply page: http://michaelfassbender.multiply.com/video/item/63

It's right at 2 minutes.

On the dvd, there is a set of pictures taken by a photographer. Michael is up on top of that wall the Spartans made. In the comic, it shows the Spartans jumping from the wall into the water to freshen up. That's why Stelios' hair is all wet before he cuts off the arm of the emissary.

I wonder if I would have bought the movie overseas, if it would have those scenes. But I would think that those scenes would have shown up somewhere.

When Zack kept saying that there weren't any more additional scenes in his panels, I just didn't believe it.