Yes, the second trailer for the second film in the 300 series is out (okay, maybe one film and an upcoming sequel doesn’t make a series, but with the way the Hollywood sequel machine works another two or three 300 films would not be unexpected). While the original 300 – which helped launch director Zack Snyder’s career – was based on a comic book by Frank Miller (author and artist of The Dark Knight Returns), the sequel, 300: Rise of An Empire is an original story. Frank Miller was rumored to be working on a prequel comic, but nothing has been published so far. The main focus of this new trailer is Greek warrior-woman, Artemisia, played by Eva Green (Casino Royale, Dark Shadows, and soon to be appearing in another sequel based on Miller’s work, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For). And though Snyder is not returning to direct (Noam Murro is taking over), the slow-down-speed-up fight scenes he’s become known for are still present.

300: Rise of an Empire does not return star Gerard Butler as King Leonidas (for reasons obvious to anyone who’s seen the first movie), but Rodrigo Santoro, Lena Headey, and David Wenham will be reprising their roles as Xerxes, Queen Gorgo, and Dilios, respectively. The plot concerns Persian King Xerxes who, after suffering humiliation and retreating in the first film, returns with the full force of his nation’s army to conquer Greece. Leading the charge against Xerxes, Artemisia is joined by General Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton of 2010’s Animal Kingdom).

And, there will apparently be lots of ships.