Even if he does officially join the project, Joel Edgerton might not be the lead of 300: Battle of Artemisia after all, based on a new report that the titular goddess Artemisia is the one at the forefront of the film.
Moviehole has heard that the casting process is about to begin for the role of Artemisia. According to their report, the 300 is now called 300: The Battle of Artemisium, but that doesn’t change the fact that Artemisia is the character pulling the strings in the film.
Director Noam Murro is apparently not looking for a star in the role, and is planning to start testing actresses for the past over the next couple of weeks. Chances are that Murro might opt for a relative unknown for the part so she won’t overshadow Edgerton, who has yet to really come into his Hollywood prime, but there are definitely a few options.
Historical paintings depict Artemisia as a buxom brunette, and she is also being described for the film as manipulative and alluring. The obvious choice would be Gemma Arterton, who has been repeatedly cast in these types of roles — Clash of the Titans, Prince of Persia — because she looks the part, but Olivia Wilde and Mila Kunis could also be good fits. It also could be fun to reteam Edgerton with his The Thing costar Mary Elizabeth Winstead to give her a chance to operate outside of her typical type.