Joel Edgerton looks like he just might be the first all-new cast member for the upcoming 300: Battle of Artemisia. Vulture reports that the actor would play Greek General Themistocles, who lead Athens against Persian invaders in a battle that played out simultaneously with the Battle of Thermopylae (depicted in the first 300 film).

ComingSoon.net spoke with the film's producers this past weekend and got an update on the status of the quasi-sequel.

"We have to say that Zack Snyder and Kurt Johnstad, his writing partner, have killed it," said Mark Canton of the screenplay. "They've done a tremendous job making a highly intelligent, epic story that will stand on its own. But it's not a conventional sequel and, for what we do, that's what you hope and pray for. That you can be original and authentic at the same time."

Edgerton recently appeared in The Thing and Warrior and can be seen late next year in Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby.

300: BATTLE OF ARTEMISIA Now Titled 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE

Because it would be silly and confusing to name the sequel to Zack Snyder’s 300, 301 or 300: 2, the follow-up has now been given the official title of 300: Rise of an Empire. Previously, the Noam Murro sequel/spin-off was titled 300: Battle of Artemisia, but perhaps that was too confusing and so we’re now left with this generic title that continues the theme of recent movies (The Dark Knight Rises, Rise of the Guardians, etc). Deadline reports that the Legendary Pictures film will keep its release date of August 2nd, 2013 intact. 300: Rise of an Empire stars Eva Green, Rodrigo Santoro, Sullivan Stapleton and Andrew Tiernan in a story based off of a Frank Miller comic.

It's sitting next to the final issues of ASBARTBWPOUP)EUYPQ A

Looks like gay porn.