Directed By Timur Bekmambetov
HOLLYWOOD, CA (February 2, 2015) -
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Pictures and Paramount
Pictures, a division of Viacom, Inc., announced today that principal
photography has begun on “BEN-HUR” starring Jack Huston (“AMERICAN
HUSTLE”) as Judah Ben-Hur, Morgan Freeman
(“THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION”) as Ilderim, Toby Kebbell (“DAWN OF THE
PLANET OF THE APES”) as Messala and Nazanin Boniadi (“HOMELAND”) as
Esther. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov (“WANTED”) and written by Keith
Clarke (“THE WAY BACK”) and John Ridley (“12 YEARS
A SLAVE”), the film is based on Lew Wallace’s epic novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of The Christ.
The producers are Sean Daniel (“THE MUMMY” franchise), Mark Burnett
(“SON OF GOD”), Joni Levin (“THE WAY BACK”) and Duncan Henderson
(“MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE
FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD”). Serving as executive producers are Roma Downey
(“THE BIBLE”), Keith Clarke, John Ridley and Jason Brown. Filming will
take place in Rome and Matera, Italy with the film set for release
February 26, 2016.
“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.
“You could not have
imagined a more perfect location to shoot this epic than Italy. We can’t
wait to get started,” said Bekmambetov.
The
film returns 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.
Behind
the scenes, the creative team includes Director of Photography, Oliver
Wood (“THE BOURNE IDENTITY”), Production Designer, Naomi Shohan
(“AMERICAN
BEAUTY”), Costume Designer, Varvava Avdyushko (“WANTED”), Visual
Effects Supervisor, Academy Award® Winner Jim Rygiel (“THE LORD OF THE
RINGS” Franchise) and Special Effects Supervisor, Andy Williams
(“FURY”).
MGM
will handle production with Jonathan Glickman, President, Motion
Picture Group and Matt Dines, Vice President, Production, overseeing the
project on behalf of the
studio. The film will be distributed worldwide theatrically and on home
entertainment by Paramount Pictures, with select international
territories as well as all television distribution to be handled by MGM.
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