MANILA, March 10, 2014 – Warner Bros. Pictures' blood-splattered epic “300: Rise of an Empire” slew its box office competition with a nationwide opening weekend of a battle-ready P67-million for the March 6 to 9 frame.

This was announced today by Francis Soliven, General Manager of Warner Bros. Philippines, the film’s distributor.

The epic action-adventure muscled its way to the record books, with the following breached milestones: All Time, Industry-Wide Biggest Opening Weekend for an R-16 or higher-rated film (surpassing the R-18-rated “The Da Vinci Code” at P46.55M); and All-Time Biggest Opening Weekend for a Warner Bros. R-rated film (outgrossing the R-13 rated “The Matrix Reloaded” at P45.3M).

And despite a 4-day opening weekend, “Rise of an Empire” eclipsed the 5-day opening weekend of the first “300” by a robust 69%.

Worldwide, “Rise” scored an estimated $133 million, as it grossed $45.1 million in the U.S. and North America of which 3D contributed a muscular 63%, with premium large-format and Imax locations grossing a combined $10.9 million.

Internationally, “300″ hauled a stellar $87.8 million from 58 markets, including leaders Russia, France, South Korea and Brazil. The film, which earned $5.2 million from Imax overseas (a March record), ranked No. 1 in the market place globally.

Back in the Philippines, SM Mall of Asia got the lion’s share of gross receipts, posting a mammoth P4.09-M in five days. At second place is SM North EDSA with P3.29-M, followed by SM Megamall at third with P3.02-M.

The Top Ten biggest-grossing cinemas include Trinoma (P2.16-M), SM Cebu (P2.08-M), Glorietta 4 (P1.85-M), Greenbelt 3 (P1.80-M), Power Plant (P1.60-M), Eastwood (P1.55-M) and Theatremall (P1.53-M).

The Top 11-20 slots are occupied by Alabang Town Center (P1.46-M), Gateway (P1.38-M), Newport (P1.281-M), SM Aura (P1.280-M), SM Fairview (P1.12-M), SM Southmall (P1.11-M), Ayala Cebu (P1.08-M), Market! Market! (P1.03-M), Shang Cineplex (P1.02-M)and Robinsons Ermita (P985,920.)

Set in ancient Greece, "300: Rise of an Empire” is the eagerly anticipated “companion film” to the 2007 blockbuster "300." “Rise” takes place before and after the earlier film when 300 Spartans marched to their deaths in a battle against the Persians. In the new movie, an alliance of Greek city-states wage battle on the seas against the Persians.

Both films are based on graphic novels written by author Frank Miller. "300: Rise of an Empire" stars Australian actor Sullivan Stapleton as the Greek leader Themistokles and French actress and model Eva Green as Artemisia, the ruthless commander of the Persian forces.

"This far exceeded our expectations," said Jeff Goldstein, executive vice president for theatrical distribution at Warner Brothers.

The studio anticipated an opening in the range of $35 million to $40 million, "thinking, if we can get to $100 million (total box office) we'd be in a good place," Goldstein added, noting that the movie made nearly half that in its opening days.

"Clearly we captured a much broader audience than we anticipated," Goldstein said.

Still showing across the Philippines in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D, 2D and 30mm format, “300: Rise of an Empire” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

No “300” film is complete without a small group of protagonists facing impossible odds and a strong uniting figure to lead them into battle. In Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ “300: Rise of an Empire,” that hero is Australian actor Sullivan Stapleton (HBO’s “Strike Back”) playing the Athenian general Themistokles, who is driven to defend Greece against the powerful Persian Navy.

Previously seen on the big screen with supporting roles in “Gangster Squad,” “Animal Kingdom” and “December Boys,” Stapleton is poised to become a newly-minted leading man, thanks to “300: Rise of an Empire.”

Producer Zack Snyder comments, “Sully brought great charisma to the part and the confidence that Themistokles clearly has to have in order to persuade people that what he is saying is right and that his way is the only way. Those are pretty important qualities to have when you’re pushing people into war and trying to convince them to shed blood for a cause.”

“What drew me to Themistokles and what I liked about him was his tenacity and his drive and focus to fight the Persians and to save Greece,” Stapleton offers. “He unites all of Greece into fighting the Persians as one army. Previous to that, they fought as separate city-states and obviously smaller armies and weren’t so successful.”

Based on Frank Miller’s latest graphic novel “Xerxes,” and told in the breathtaking visual style of the blockbuster “300,” this new chapter of the epic saga takes the action to a fresh battlefield—on the sea.

Themistokles is part soldier and part politician, using his abilities as both in the pursuit of one goal. Stapleton remarks, “Whereas Leonidas rules Sparta in a very authoritative, military style, Themistokles must be a great speaker to rally all of Greece to fight as one. He knows, even then, they may be no match for the Persians, but he loves his country and believes in this new idea of democracy. The script gave me insight into what was at stake at that time.”

The expected physical attributes that defined the characters of “300” are in evidence, but Stapleton’s Themistokles also possesses an air of confidence and cunning worthy of a leader. “It’s really one man’s drive and military brilliance to go and meet the Persians out in the water, which obviously is very different from the first film,” he notes.

War is coming to Greece. The only question is whether the individual city-states will unite in time to defend their borders against the Persian God-King Xerxes and his innumerable forces. Sparta’s King Leonidas is already marching his 300 best men to meet the enemy on what can only be called a suicide mission. But Athens is not Sparta.

“Themistokles is not a king; he must operate under a different set of rules,” director Noam Murro says. “Athenians have the freedom to choose whether to go to war or to try and negotiate peace. Themistokles must win the people’s hearts; he has to work on multiple levels, psychologically, philosophically and politically, to get their support, and that’s where he excels.”

Stapleton dove into extreme fitness and fight training to believably accomplish the action in the film and credits a lot of his success in doing so to his companions onscreen. The camaraderie between he and the actors playing his fellow Greek warriors, Hans Matheson, Callan Mulvey, and Jack O’Connell, was borne through an intense fitness program designed by trainer Mark Twight, and it shows on set as they wield their weapons against the Persians. This is a tight-knit bunch and Sullivan seems to relish the bond they bring onscreen together.

A native of Australia, Stapleton first gained international attention with his supporting role in David Michod’s “Animal Kingdom,” which received the 2010 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema – Dramatic. The Australian Film Institute recognized his performance in the film with a Best Supporting Actor nomination.

He was recently honored with the 2013 Australians in Film Breakthrough Actor Award.

Opening across the Philippines on Thursday, March 06 in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D, 2D and 30mm format, “300: Rise of an Empire” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures have unveiled two new posters for the upcoming action adventure “300: Rise of an Empire” that put Athenian general Themistokles front and center of the action.

The two one-sheet artworks show actor Sullivan Stapleton in battle-ready poses and wielding his blood-soaked sword.

Based on Frank Miller’s latest graphic novel “Xerxes,” and told in the breathtaking visual style of the blockbuster “300,” this new chapter of the epic saga takes the action to a fresh battlefield—on the sea—as Greek general Themistokles attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that will change the course of the war.

“300: Rise of an Empire” pits Themistokles against the massive invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and Artemesia (Eva Green), vengeful commander of the Persian navy.

The film is directed by Noam Murro, from a screenplay by Zack Snyder & Kurt Johnstad.

Opening across the Philippines on March 6, “300: Rise of an Empire” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures have revealed new character posters for the upcoming action adventure “300: Rise of an Empire,” the prequel to the 2006 blockbuster, “300.”

Launched specifically for this year’s Comic-Con in San Diego, California, the posters individually feature the characters Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton), Artemesia (Eva Green), the Spartan Queen, Gorgo (Lena Headey), Aeskylos (Hans Matheron) and the Persian King, Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro).

Based on Frank Miller’s latest graphic novel “Xerxes,” and told in the breathtaking visual style of “300,” this new chapter of the epic saga takes the action to a fresh battlefield—on the sea—as Greek general Themistokles attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that will change the course of the war.

“300: Rise of an Empire” pits Themistokles against the massive invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes, and Artemesia, vengeful commander of the Persian navy.

The film is directed by Noam Murro, from a screenplay by Zack Snyder & Kurt Johnstad.

Opening across the Philippines in March 2014, “300: Rise of an Empire” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.