300 is a 2006 American epic historical action film directed by Zack Snyder. It is based on the 1998 comic book limited series of the same name by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley. The film is a fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae in the Greco-Persian Wars. The plot revolves around King Leonidas, who leads 300 Spartans into battle against the Persian "God-King" Xerxes. A sequel, titled Rise of an Empire, was released on March 7, 2014.