Where do you begin when remaking one of the most decorated movies of all time? That’s a burden shouldered by director Timur Bekmambetov, who will be steering his new rendition of Ben-Hur into theaters on August 19.
In anticipation of the retooled sword and sandals epic, which will once again draw from Lew Wallace’s seminal 1880 novel of the same name, Paramount has rolled out a new trailer and featurette for the summer blockbuster. Designed to chronicle the brotherhood shared between Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston) and Messala (Toby Kebbell), it isn’t long before the latter thrusts a wedge between the two, stripping Huston’s respected prince of his title. One gruelling spell in slavery later and Ben-Hur remerges, this time seeking redemption.
Also on board for Paramout’s big-budget tentpole are Morgan Freeman, Rodrigo Santoro, Nazanin Boniadi, Ayelet Zorer, Sofia Black-D’Elia and Danish actor Pilou Asbæk as Judean emperor Pontius Pilate.
Below, you’ll be able to get a play-by-play breakdown on how Bekmambetov and his team recreated the chariot race, widely considered to be one of the most iconic scenes in cinematic history. No pressure, then.
Ben-Hur is expected to race into theaters on August 19.
BEN-HUR is the epic story of Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston), a prince falsely accused of treason by his adopted brother Messala (Toby Kebbell), an officer in the Roman army. Stripped of his title, separated from his family and the woman he loves (Nazanin Boniadi), Judah is forced into slavery. After years at sea, Judah returns to his homeland to seek revenge, but finds redemption. Based on Lew Wallace’s timeless novel, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Also starring Morgan Freeman and Rodrigo Santoro.