10 Iconic Comic Book Movie Moments That Were Totally Improvised

Gerard Butler will forever be known for his commanding portrayal of King Leonidas in Zack Snyder's 300. As far as comic book movies go, 300, based on the 1998 series by Frank Miller, is stylish, violent and looks like it jumped straight off the pages of the original comic.

The film follows King Leonidas as he leads 300 gloriously hench Spartans into a suicidal battle against the Persian army consisting of 300,000 soldiers. Zack Snyder's trademark slow-motion technique is in full glory during the film's many exciting battle sequences, which are further accentuated by Butler's intimidating on-screen presence.

Not only is Gerard Butler physically imposing, but the role of Leonidas provided him with many moments of inspirational acting. However, the most iconic scene in the entire film came purely from Butler's ingenuity.

Early in the film, Leonidas welcomes a Persian messenger to his home. The Persian informs Leonidas that they have come to claim his land and that he must step aside and choose not to resist.

However, Leonidas has other ideas. Leonidas screams "This is Sparta!" as he kicks the Persian messenger down a well. This moment, which became a glorified internet meme, was in fact improvised by Butler.

In the screenplay this line is described as being whispered calmly, yet Butler, much to the amusement of the cast and crew, decided to spontaneously shout it, and the rest is history.