19 Years Ago, an Iconic Comic Book Movie Changed Hollywood in Major Ways

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Before the modern state of franchises like the MCU, comic book movies had to go through some growing pains. Films like Richard Donner’s Superman and Tim Burton’s Batman were huge successes, but early comic book movies like Daredevil, Fantastic Four, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine proved that the formula was far from refined. However, one director quickly proved himself as a master of the art of the comic book movie, and his first swing at things is currently celebrating a big anniversary.

Zack Snyder’s 300 Came Out 19 Years Ago Today

300 was released on March 9, 2007, meaning that it came out 19 years ago today. The film was directed by Zack Snyder, and was an adaptation of Frank Miller and Lynn Varley’s Dark Horse comic series of the same name. The epic film tells the story of the Battle of Thermopylae, with King Leonidas taking his small army of 300 soldiers into battle against the much stronger Persian army.

300 is a shot-for-shot adaptation of the original comic book, with Snyder being a big fan of the source material. This led to the film’s unique style, with Snyder having to plan his shots so that they eventually recreated the shots from the comic book. The film’s hyperstylization, over-the-top story, and extreme violence made it noticeable upon its release, causing it to become a big success. 300 made $468.8 million against a budget of only $65 million, causing it to become the tenth highest-grossing movie of 2007.

The movie had a massive influence on pop culture, with many iconic lines and moments being parodied in all kinds of films and TV shows. 300 also sparked a brief revival in sword and sandals stories, with movies like 2010’s Clash of the Titans coming out in the years after. Although 300 is divisive, with it only having 61% on Rotten Tomatoes, it is hard to deny the splash that it made when it was released.

300 Is What Turned Zack Snyder Into A Comic Book Movie Director

300 was only Zack Snyder’s second movie, with him landing the job thanks to his successful first film, 2004’s Dawn of the Dead. 300 cemented Snyder as a commercially and critically successful filmmaker, with the way in which it launched his career arguably being the film’s biggest impact. While 300 did have an influence on the sword and sandals action movies of the time, it also had an even bigger impact on a different genre: comic book movies.

300 was Zack Snyder’s first comic book movie, acting as the earliest entry in a long line of comic book adaptations for the director. After 300‘s success, Snyder released 2009’s Watchmen, which is arguably his most beloved comic book movie. This finally brought Alan Moore’s iconic comic series to the big screen, and while it wasn’t a perfectly faithful adaptation, many fans still love it. 300 and Watchmen cemented Snyder as a consistent comic book director, landing him his most influential job.

After the success of 300 and Watchmen, Snyder was approached to adapt an even bigger property: the DC Comics universe. Snyder spearheaded Warner Bros. MCU competitor, with the rivalry between the two universes impacting Hollywood in a big way. Snyder directed Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. He also began directing Justice League before he had to step down, with him eventually fulfilling his vision by releasing Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

However, the mixed reception and middling success of the DCEU led to Warner Bros. retooling the universe, with James Gunn taking over and launching the DCU. To this day, DCEU fans still beg for Warner Bros. to restore the Snyderverse, hoping to see more of Snyder’s comic book movies. However, Snyder has moved away from these projects, with him instead working on original franchises like Army of the Dead and Rebel Moon.

Snyder’s filmography is definitely a mixed bag, and he is far from a perfect filmmaker. However, it is hard to deny that he is one of Hollywood’s most influential filmmakers, and he probably wouldn’t be where he is now if it weren’t for the success of 300.

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