Ben-Hur remake – Starring Jack Huston, starts production

Ben-Hur starring Jack Huston as Judah Ben-Hur started filming this week. Jack is know for American Hustle and is pictured above in The Longest Ride (released in April 2015) and below right in the 2008 movie Outlander.

The main cast also includes Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption) as Ilderim, Toby Kebbell (Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes) as Messala and Nazanin Boniadi (Homeland) as Esther.

Filming will take place in Rome and Matera, Italy. The director, Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, 9), raved about the locations saying “You could not have imagined a more perfect location to shoot this epic than Italy. We can’t wait to get started”.

The script, based on Lew Wallace’s novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of The Christ, was written by Keith Clarke (The Way Back) and John Ridley (12 Years A Slav).

The film looks to the heart of Lew Wallace’s epic novel focusing on the nature of faith. The story follows a falsely accused nobleman who survives years of slavery to take vengeance on his best friend who betrayed him. Both must come to choose between retribution or forgiveness.

Ben-Hur also stars Rodrigo Santoro (300: Rise of an Empire) as Jesus Christ, Sofia Black D’Elia (Gossip Girl) as Tirzah, Ayelet Zurer (Man Of Steel) as Naomi, Moises Arias (Ender’s Game) as Gestas and Pilou Asbæk (Lucy) as Pontius Pilate.

The film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Paramount Pictures is set for release February 26, 2016.

To check out, or buy, the book the film is based on click on the title here… Lew Wallace’s novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of The Christ.