300 originated as a graphic novel by Frank Miller and colourist Lynn Varley, published by Dark Horse Comics in 1998. Miller’s heavily stylised retelling dramatises the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC, where King Leonidas of Sparta led a vastly outnumbered force against the invading Persian army of Xerxes I. Miller had been fascinated by the story since childhood, having watched the 1962 film The 300 Spartans, and his graphic novel reimagined the battle through bold, high-contrast artwork that read as much like propaganda and myth as history — setting the tone for everything that followed.
Director Zack Snyder adapted the graphic novel into the 2007 film 300, shot almost entirely against green screen and digitally treated to replicate the desaturated, highcontrast look of Miller’s original panels. Made on a budget of around $65 million, the film grossed over $456 million worldwide, turning heavily stylised, slow-motion combat into a genuine box office phenomenon and a defining example of ‘digital backlot’ filmmaking, alongside Snyder and Miller’s earlier collaboration on Sin City. A sequel, 300: Rise of an Empire (2014), expanded the story to the naval battles of Artemisium and Salamis, following Athenian general Themistocles as he faced Persian commander Artemisia, and was framed as a parallel companion piece running alongside the events of the original film rather than a straightforward follow-up.
Gerard Butler’s performance as Leonidas — all roars, grit, and the now-iconic delivery of “This is Sparta!” — became the film’s defining image, supported by Lena Headey as Queen Gorgo and David Wenham as Dilios, the one-eyed Spartan soldier whose narration frames the entire story. Dominic West played the traitorous Theron, Rodrigo Santoro brought an otherworldly presence to Xerxes, and Vincent Regan led the Spartan captains. The film also gave an early breakout role to Michael Fassbender as Stelios, shortly before he became a major international star. Rise of an Empire brought in Sullivan Stapleton and Eva Green, with Headey and Santoro reprising their roles.
Nearly two decades on, 300 remains one of the most quoted and visually referenced action films of its era. “This is Sparta!” has become a fixture of internet culture, endlessly remixed and memed, while the film’s slow-motion, high-contrast combat style has been echoed in countless commercials, music videos, and video games. Its comic book roots and stylised violence have made it a lasting favourite among collectors of both film memorabilia and graphic novel art, with demand spanning props, prints, and signed pieces tied to its distinctive cast of Spartans and Persians. The film also helped cement Zack Snyder’s reputation as a director drawn to bold, comic accurate adaptations, a path he later carried into Watchmen and his work on DC’s superhero films.
At Pioneer Signings, 300 is anchored by our work with David Wenham, who signed as Dilios across a run of exclusive Funko Pop 1472 variants, each paired with a different line from his narration — including “It’s Just an Eye, the Gods saw fit to grace me with a spare!” and “Immortals… we put their name to the test!” — available in a range of background colours with character name and quote options. It’s a strong first entry point into the franchise for us, and one we’d like to build on with further Spartan and Persian cast signings as our 300 archive grows.
