The long-awaited sequel to 300 will hit theaters next year. Time to brush up on man law and finish all those Push-Ups. The movie trailer, which was released along with 300 director Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, promises a story that runs alongside the Spartan 300’s defeat at the hand of Persia.

While Leonidas (Gerald Butler) was holding off the massive Persian army at Thermopylae, other battles were being fought. Greek general Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) was leading a naval battle against the Persian fleet in what became known as the Battle of Artemisium and later the Battle of Salamis. Throughout the battle, man-god Xerxes wanted to show his army’s superiority in such a decisive manner that the Greeks would be disheartened and fold. His secret weapon for the battle was Artemisia, a determined, cunning female commander. What plays out is 300: Rise of an Empire.

“It’s as if you zoomed out and saw a bigger time frame and told a bigger story of what happened in 300,” said Noam Murro, director of the sequel, during an interview with MTV News.

Murro also revealed that although Xerxes plays a role in the plot, the movie will deviate slightly from the source material, Frank Miller’s graphic novel Xerxes, and focus on Themistocles and Artemisia. “Those two characters are at the heart of this movie and are really driving it,” he said. “…You’ll feel Xerxes’ presence, but it’s really Themistocles and Artemisia’s movie.”

300: Rise of an Empire will hit theaters on March 7, 2014, nearly seven years since its predecessor premiered. Lena Headey, Rodrigo Santoro and David Wenham will all reprise their roles. Zack Snyder penned the screenplay and produced the movie.