Guy Ritchie to Direct ‘300’ Sequel ‘Xerxes’

British director Guy Ritchie has been offered the job as director on the highly-anticipated sequel to 2007’s blockbuster “300.” For some reason, Zack Snyder is nearly out of the picture and Warner Bros. is in negotiations with Ritchie, the Vulture has learned.

Ritchie, who is now working on the sequel to “Sherlock Holmes,” may step in for Snyder on the prequel to “300,” “Xerxes,” based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller as well.

“Xerxes” has been in the books for many years and, now that Miller is done with the graphic novel and Snyder has reportedly finished the first draft of the script, the studio is having issues as regards a director to helm it.

The plan was to have Snyder direct it but, for some reason, Warners is trying to push him out of the picture and have him replaced with Ritchie, the aforementioned e-zine says.

“Warner Bros. has offered Xerxes – the sequel to Zach Snyder’s epic 300 – to none other than Sherlock Holmes director Guy Ritchie,” Vulture writes.

As per the e-zine, there are two theories on why Warners is looking for a new director: one would be that it’s pressed for time to get the “Superman” reboot (which Snyder directs) in production by 2013 or lose all rights over the franchise.

“Insiders say the closely-guarded script for Superman suffers from major third-act problems, and the studio faces a ticking clock on that franchise, legally speaking; if a Superman film isn’t in production by 2013, Warner Bros. loses the rights to the entire Superman franchise and would have to re-license it from its original creators – the estates of Detective Comics writers Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster – at great if not prohibitive expense,” Vulture explains.

Then, there’s the theory that says that Warners is losing confidence in the once visionary Snyder. His most recent films have not fared as well as expected at the box office and with critics.

“Watchmen” and “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole” “under-performed,” Vulture says, and there’s clear indication the same will happen with his upcoming “Sucker Punch,” which is already getting bad buzz.

“At a recent Warner Bros.-conducted audience research screening of Snyder’s Sucker Punch, the film tested poorly. Says one insider familiar with it, ‘It was bad; like, really bad. They’re [Warners brass] really not happy with it over there’,” Vulture writes.

In other words, the studio may be losing confidence in Snyder – and they’re not willing to risk that much as to have him helm “Xerxes.” Guy Ritchie, on the other hand, is riding the wave, therefore is a safe bet right now.

Plus, he too is known for being a visionary director, so the combination could actually work wonderfully.