300 RISE OF AN EMPIRE Director Noam Murro A Candidate To Make AQUAMAN?

It's looking like Warner Bros. is really locking down their directors for their impressive slate of new films. We have Zack Snyder handling Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League Part 1 and Justice League Part 1.

Wonder Woman has Breaking Bad's Michelle MacLaren (Walking Dead, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones) attached to direct while she's currently working out the script with the screenwriter.

I actually wrote about why Warner Bros. should consider her the gig back in January 2014, way before she started showing-up on wish-lists. I'm glad she got the job and we should expect at the very least an entertaining adventure flick.

One of the upcoming films we don't really know about is Aquaman starring Jason Momoa. Last we heard, some of those leaked Sony email exchanges revealed Mud director Jeff Nichols could have been hired by the studio to write and direct the film.

However, a new report via Latino Review suggests that someone with closer ties to Zack Snyder in now in the mix.

They claim that Noam Murro the director of 300: Rise of An Empire is now a candidate, but are not ruling-out Jeff is still in the mix.

Murro stands out mainly because his experience with a large action focused comic book film that took place mostly on the water. It should also be noted he worked very closely with Zack Snyder on the film and that relationship could come into play, since I'm sure he'll want to be heavily involved with the script development and it's casting.

The expectation being that we could be seeing characters from both Aquaman and Justice League films crossing-over. Snyder will likely feel a bit more comfortable with someone like Murro in charge of the project, which is already a huge risk considering how many water-set films have a tendency to tank.

Maybe with Murro attached as director we could be seeing Eva Green considered for a role opposite Jason. I don't think too many people would be upset if Eva took the role of Mera.

SOURCE: LATINO REVIEW

A New Poster For 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE

First Theatrical Poster For 300: RISE OF EMPIRE

Another Actor Joins 300 Battle Of Artemisia

CinemaBlend has caught wind of an announcement that Australian actor Callan Mulvey (The Hunter) has joined the slowly growing cast of 300: Battle of Atremisia. He joins Eva Green, fellow Hunter co-star Sullivan Stapleton, Jamie Blackley and Rodrigo Santoro as Xerxes. Mulvey has also landed a supporting role in Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty.

Rodrigo Santoro In Talks To Reprise The Role Of Xerxes

While speaking with Collider actor Rodrigo Santoro confirmed that he was in talks to reprise the role of Xerxes in 300: Battle of Artemisia. Currently the only actors confirmed for the film include Eva Green (Casino Royale, Kingdom of Heaven), Sullivan Stapleton (Animal Kingdom) and Jamie Blackley. There had also been talk of Gerard Butler and Lena Headey reprising their roles as well.

Jamie Blackley Joins 300: Battle Of Artemisia

Deadline reports that young actor Jamie Blackley has landed the role of Calisto in the 300 prequel. Jamie isn't well known but has had supporting roles in London Boulevard, Snow White And The Huntsman and the British series Misfits. The growing cast includes Sullivan Stapleton (Animal Kingdom) as General Themistocles and Eva Green (Casino Royale, Kingdom of Heaven) as Atremisia. Some might remember the original film being a rather large stepping stone for actors like Gerard Butler and Michael Fassbender.

Sullivan Stapleton Joins 300 Prequel

Variety reports that Aussie actor Sullivan Stapleton (Strike Back, Animal Kingdom) has landed the lead in the untitled 300 prequel. I'm a little confused about which role Sullivan has actually nabbed. Deadline reports it's Xerxes while ThePlaylist says it's the lead role that was originally offered to Joel Edgerton which had been reported to be Themistocles. Variety is even more vague and doesn't even give a hint what the role is. Stapleton hasn't had many high profiled projects since Animal Kingdom but has a supporting role in the gritty mob thriller Gangster Squad. Eva Green (Casino Royale, Kingdom of Heaven) has already joined the production playing the female lead Artemisia.

UPDATE: Jeff from ShowBlitz has confirmed to me that Sullivan is indeed playing General Themistocles.

Joel Edgerton In Talks For 300 Battle Of Artemisia

ThePlaylist reports that Joel Edgerton is now in talks for the lead role of Themosticles in 300: Battle of Artemisia. Written/produced by Zack Snyder and based on the work of Frank Miller tells the story ten years prior to the first film. Noam Murro is set to direct with an estimated release date in 2013. Gerard Butler and Lena Headey are rumored to have cameos in the film as well.

Other Directors In The Running For Thor 2

Variety adds to the recent story of Marvel Studios being in talks with director Patty Jenkins (Monster) to helm Thor 2. They reveal four other directors also in contention which includes Drew Goddard (Cabin In The Woods), James McTeigue (V For Vendetta), Noam Murro (300: Battle of Artemesia) and Breck Eisner (The Crazies). Goddard's Cabin In The Woods stars Chris Hemsworth and was written by Joss Whedon, Drew might get backing from the two. Brian Kirk (Game of Thrones) has walked because of creative/financial differences with the studio so we can cross him out.

Fox Hires Director For Die Hard 5

Deadline reports 20th Century Fox has hired Noam Murro to direct the yet untitled Die Hard 5. Appearently the director impressed Fox brass during his latest Halo movie pitch. I'm not sure how a pitch proves his abilities to direct a Die Hard film but it could work out. Bruce Willis, who has voiced his desire to make the fifth film has yet to officially sign on. It looks like Fox is going ahead with the script from Skip Woods (A-Team) which had been rumored to have been scrapped. Not much is known about the plot but there have been rumors another Gruber sibling could be the film's villain.