MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) Studios is remaking the classic epic drama Ben-Hur, and Morgan Freeman is a member of the cast.
The 1959 movie, directed by William Wyler, had won 11 academy awards that year. The film was based on the 1880 Lew Wallace novel, ‘Ben-Hur: A Tale Of The Christ‘. The remake is helmed by Timur Bekmambetov, whose previous works include Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Wanted. John Ridley, who penned American Crime, 12 Years a Slave, rewrote the script for MGM. The film is set for an August 12, 2016 release.
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Jack Huston plays the title character, Judah Ben-Hur. According to an Indiewire report, Freeman plays Ilderim, a role that was played by actor Hugh Griffith in the original. Griffith had won an Oscar for his performance as the Arab Sheikh who sponsors and trains the slave Ben-Hur to become a champion chariot racer. The cast also includes Nazanin Boniadi as Esther, Rodrigo Santoro as Jesus, and Pilou Asbaek as Pontius Pilate.