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The director, Zack Snyder has been a never-ending ball of energy and enthusiasm on a film set. From his stunning adaptation of George A. Romero’sDawn of the Deadto his soaring Superman rebootMan of Steel,the talented director’s passion for his work has been evident throughout his career.
His 2007 action drama300, which catapulted the acclaimed director to a whole new level, is not to be overlooked among Snyder’s massively successful blockbusters. Gerard Butler, who played the lead in300, has once recalled the crazy events that took place when the filmmaker pitched the movie and the role to him.
The Scottish actor and film producer reflected fondly on his breakthrough performance as he recalled his first meeting with Snyder and how they became friends before working on the movie.
Let us take a look at Butler’s motivational journey, during which he underwent a remarkable transformation and made one specific promise to play Leonidas in Snyder’s film with unwavering commitment.
Also read-Former DC President Finally Admits Mistake With Zack Snyder Justice League, Shames Joss Whedon for Failing With Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot’s Trinity
Gerard Butler’s Sincere Promise To Zack Snyder For300
Gerard Butler, a Scottish actor renowned for his mesmerizing performances, has consistently been driven to raise his game for each role. For one role in particular, he had to put in a tremendous amount of dedication.
In 2007,Zack Snyderadapted the 1998 comic series300by Lynn Varley and Frank Miller for the big screen. Butler would ultimately play the Spartan king Leonidas in the movie, which received high marks for both its performances and its striking visuals. Also, it was a huge hit at the box office.
Snyder, who at the time was not particularly well-known, was won over by Butler after their initial meeting. The director, 57, once toldFilm School Rejects:
“You know, when I first met Gerry we met in this coffee shop and he was immediately insane, in a good way. He stood up and he ranted around the coffee shop. He posed, he had the book with him. He had his own copy of it and he was like, ‘Look at this. This is awesome. I want to be like this.’ And when I left I said, ‘Wow, that guy is… he’s the King.’ You know, he’s the guy.”
Butler committed to quitting “smoking” and undergoing a complete body makeover in order to play the mighty King Leonidas in the 2007 movie.Because of his dedication,Snydereventually told his wife, Deborah Snyder, about the meeting:
“And I went home to my wife who is one of the producers of the movie and I said, ‘Baby, I met Gerry and I think he’s the guy.’ And she said, ‘Oh really, that’s exciting.’ And he had to do a little song and dance for the studio, but not too much. He promised Alan Horn that he would get buff, get ripped up and that he’d quit smoking and he did. So that was kinda good.”
Also read-Zack Snyder Reached Out to James Gunn Privately While His DCU Reboot Forced Henry Cavill to Leave Future Superman Movies
Gerard Butler Said His300Look Ruined His Body
Gerard Butleradmitted that getting his ripped look for300came at a price that was worth it, despite how good it might have appeared on screen. The actor would exercise six hours a day for the role, according toThe Hollywood Reporterinterview. He spent two hours bodybuilding, two hours doing CrossFit, and two hours practicing fight choreography. TheKandaharstar shared:
“That was the best shape I have ever been in in my life. In some ways I was ruining my body, but I was looking amazing doing it.”
However, their hard work was ultimately rewarded when Zack Snyder’s300became a surprise hit. Butler further recalled exclaiming:
“Oh my God. This movie’s going to suck.”
With his debut comic book film, the director demonstrated his vision and astounded the audience as Butler recalled:
“When I first saw the final product…It was like, ‘Look at what Zack did!’ I can’t speak highly enough about him.”
In the end, the film exceeded expectations at the box office and earned $456M versus its $65M budget.The movie had the 24th-largest opening weekend in box office history at the time.
You can stream300on Max.
Also read-With 1 Move, Zack Snyder’s Justice League Makes DC Relevant Again Amid James Gunn’s Blue Beetle’s Box Office Nightmare
Source-Film School Rejects
Siddhika Prajapati
Senior Journalist & Content Head
Articles Published :3310
With over 3,300 articles carved into the digital walls of FandomWire, Siddhika Prajapati excels at creating, curating, and elevating engaging stories. She takes pride in giving these stories a home and, of course, she’s got a Google Knowledge Panel to prove it!Whether it’s reviewing the latest drop on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Apple TV+, or analyzing the cultural echoes of a streaming hit on Paramount+ or Max, Siddhika is always writing three steps ahead of the discourse.
