Ben- Hur (2016)
Directed by: Timur Bekmambetov
Writing Credits: Lew Wallance ( Based on the novel ) , Keith R. Clarke ( screenplay ) , John Ridley ( screenplay )
Cast:
Jack Huston ( as Judah Ben - Hur), Nazanin Boniadi ( as Esther ), Haluk Bilginer ( as Simonides ), Pilou Asbxk ( as Pontius Pilate ), Marwan Kenzari ( as Druses ), Rodrigo Santoro ( as Jesus ), Moises Arias ( Gestas ), Yasen Atour ( Jacob ), David Walmsley ( as Marcus Decimus )
Other cast:
Morgan Freeman ( as Ilderim ), Ayelet Zurer ( as Naomi), Toby Kebbell ( as Messala ), Sofia Black- D'Elia ( as Tirzah ), James Sosmo ( as Quintus ), Alan Cappelli Goetz ( as Decurion ), Dato Bakhtadze ( as Hortator ), Julian Kostov ( as Lucius ), Jarreth J. Merz ( as Flores ), Nico Toffoli ( as The Warrior), Denise Tantucci ( as Avigail ), Gabriel Lo Giudice ( as Elijah/ Gabriel Farnese ), Simon Spinazze ( as Garrison Captain ), Ed Hendrik ( as Angry Slave/ Edoardo Purgatori ), Alessandro Giuggioli ( as Judas ), Jay Natelle ( as Gesius ), Francesco Volpi ( as Slave ), Damiano Minardi ( as Slave )
Produced by
| Jason F. Brown | ... | executive producer |
| Mark Burnett | ... | producer |
| Keith R. Clarke | ... | executive producer |
| Sean Daniel | ... | producer |
| Roma Downey | ... | executive producer |
| Duncan Henderson | ... | producer |
| Joni Levin | ... | producer |
| John Ridley | ... | executive producer |
| Enzo Sisti | ... | line producer: Italy |
Music by
| Marco Beltrami | ||
Cinematography by
| Oliver Wood | ||
Film Editing by
| Dody Dorn |
Casting By
| John Papsidera | ||
Production Design by
| Naomi Shohan | ||
Art Direction by
| Roberto Caruso | ||
| Marco Furbatto | ... | asst art director |
| Félix Larivière-Charron | ... | supervising art director |
| Massimo Pauletto | ||
| Gianpaolo Rifino | ||
| Alessandro Santucci | ||
Set Decoration by
| Alessandra Querzola | ||
Costume Design by
| Varvara Avdyushko | ||
Makeup Department
| Allan A. Apone | ... | makeup artist for: nazanine boniadi |
| Novella Borghi | ... | makeup artist |
| Federico Carretti | ... | makeup artist |
| Ilaria D'Amico | ... | prosthetic make up artist trainee |
| Luigi D'Andrea | ... | special makeup effects artist |
| Francesca Galafassi | ... | prosthetic make up artist |
| Andrea Leanza | ... | prosthetic make up artist/key sculptor |
| Melissa Mazzocco | ... | Makeup artist: second unit |
| Samuele Miccoli | ... | hair stylist |
| Maurizio Nardi | ... | key makeup artist: second unit |
| Peter Nicastro | ... | hair stylist |
| Lucia Patullo | ... | special makeup effects artist |
| Francesco Pegoretti | ... | hair deisgner |
| Barbara Pellegrini | ... | makeup artist: second unit |
| Diego Prestopino | ... | makeup artist |
| Luigi Rocchetti | ... | makeup designer |
| Lorenzo Tamburini | ... | prosthetics supervisor/sculptor |
| Valentina Visintin | ... | prosthetic make up artist |
Production Management
| Luca Fortunato Asquini | ... | unit production manager |
| Romy Barber | ... | director of post production: mgm |
| Vito Colazzo | ... | unit production manager: 2nd Unit |
| Federico Foti | ... | unit manager |
| Kacie Kane | ... | director of post production: mgm |
| Sabrina Manna | ... | assistant unit manager |
| Alessandro Manni | ... | unit manager |
| Alessandro Minisola | ... | assistant unit manager |
| Andrea Passalacqua | ... | unit manager |
| Massimiliano Sisti | ... | unit manager: 2nd Unit |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Elisa Becchere | ... | assistant director |
| Dieter Busch | ... | first assistant director: second unit (as Dieter 'Dietman' Busch) |
| Michel Cheyko | ... | first assistant director |
| Valentina de Cassan | ... | assistant director |
| Federica Durigon | ... | third assistant director |
| Alessandra Fortuna | ... | second assistant director |
| Ivan Furlan | ... | second assistant director: second unit (circus) |
| Iolanda Greci | ... | set production assistant |
| Gianluca Mangiasciutti | ... | key set pa |
| Jan Michelini | ... | splinter unit director |
| Phil Neilson | ... | second unit director |
| Gwyn Sannia | ... | first assistant director (italy): Second Unit |
| Marzia Sartori | ... | set pa: second unit |
| Aurelia Tamburrino | ... | assistant director |
Art Department
| Valerio Barbet | ... | props / props: Chariot Handler / props: chariot handler |
| Roberto Benetti | ... | standby props 2nd unit/armourer |
| Matteo Cecconi | ... | props painter |
| Giancarlo Di Fusco | ... | props painter |
| Cristiano Donzelli | ... | storyboard artist |
| Sandro Ercolini | ... | painter (as Sandro Erdolini) |
| Roberta Federico | ... | assistant art director |
| Henry Fong | ... | concepts artist |
| Antonio Fraulo | ... | property master |
| Mario Ghinassi | ... | art department coordinator |
| Daniela Giovannoni | ... | assistant art director |
| Jérôme Glomaud Chadefaux | ... | freelance painter |
| Etienne Gravrand | ... | set designer |
| Shane Ladd | ... | art department researcher |
| Fausta Langone | ... | researcher/archivist |
| Marco Lo Russo | ... | prop maker |
| John Mann | ... | storyboard artist |
| Jeffrey D. McDonald | ... | assistant art director |
| Claudia Moscatello | ... | set dressing coordinator |
| Antonio Murer | ... | head propmaker |
| Sebastiano Murer | ... | assistant property master |
| Marialuisa Pacini | ... | buyer set decoration |
| Letizia Santucci | ... | assistant set decorator / set decorator: second unit |
| Armando Savoia | ... | concept artist |
| Francesco Sereni | ... | concept artist |
| Paola Sforzini | ... | head painter (as Paolo Sforzini) |
| Nicolas Vallet | ... | set designer |
Sound Department
| Marco Fiumara | ... | sound mixer |
| Aaron Glascock | ... | supervising sound editor |
| Eilam Hoffman | ... | sound effects recordist |
| Francesco Iscaro | ... | cable guy |
| Alyson Dee Moore | ... | foley artist |
| Piero Mura | ... | supervising sound editor |
| Luigi Pini | ... | boom operator |
| Shelley Roden | ... | foley artist |
| Marco Saveriano | ... | boom operator |
| Curt Schulkey | ... | supervising adr and dialog editor |
Special Effects by
| Renato Agostini | ... | senior sfx technician |
| Norman Baillie | ... | special effects buyer |
| Wesley Barnard | ... | special effects floor supervisor second unit |
| Herbert Blank | ... | special effects lead senior technician |
| Danilo Bollettini | ... | special effects italian supervisor |
| Nolwenn Caro | ... | special effects |
| Pasquale Catalano | ... | special effects technician |
| Dionisia Cirasola | ... | special effects props |
| Nick Finlayson | ... | senior special effects technician |
| Fabio Floris | ... | special effects buyer: assistant |
| Gergely Glovotz | ... | special effects technician |
| Marta Marrone | ... | special effects props |
| Jalila Otky | ... | Special Effects Coordinator Office Manager |
| Andrea Pigrucci | ... | special effects italian buyer |
| Simon Quinn | ... | special effects senior technician |
| Mark Roberts | ... | special effects supervisor: second unit |
| Tom Rasburn | ... | special effects assistant |
| Glauco Trasselli | ... | special effects buyer Italy |
| Giovanni Tricomi | ... | special effects props |
| Andy Williams | ... | special effects supervisor |
Visual Effects by
| Olumide Adeyemo | ... | matchmove/layout artist: Mr. X Inc. |
| Matt Akey | ... | executive producer: legend 3D |
| James Albiez | ... | visual effects artist |
| Philip Edward Alexy | ... | digital artist: Mr X Inc. |
| Aaron Arendt | ... | Layout Artist: Scanline VFX |
| Matthew Badham | ... | visual effects data wrangler |
| Justin Bates | ... | roto/paint lead: Mr. X Inc. |
| Riccardo Bellini | ... | visual effects witness camera operator |
| Aneesh Bhatnagar | ... | visual effects artist |
| Jawahar Bhatti | ... | visual effects artist |
| Ashley Blyth | ... | layout artist |
| Jarom Brand | ... | rigging technical director |
| Jon R. Brown | ... | visual effects plate manager |
| Justin Bunt | ... | digital compositor |
| Huseyin Caner | ... | Cyber Scanning Supervisor |
| Jeffrey Chan | ... | digital compositor: Soho VFX |
| Christopher Courtland | ... | digital compositor |
| Noelle Cyr | ... | visual effects production coordinator: Soho VFX |
| Ashish Dani | ... | matte painter |
| Graham Day | ... | digital compositor: Mr. X Inc. |
| Aurore de Blois | ... | compositing supervisor |
| Carlos Patrick De Leon | ... | visual effects artist |
| Andres Delia | ... | digital compositor |
| Colin Dorssers | ... | stereoscopic compositor: Legend 3D |
| William Dwelly | ... | generalist: Scanline VFX / lead layout technical director: Scanline VFX |
| Kornel Farkas | ... | digital compositor |
| Gabriele Filippelli | ... | digital effects artist |
| Warren Flanagan | ... | concept artist: Soho VFX / vfx art director |
| Robin Griffin | ... | visual effects producer |
| Joseph Grossberg | ... | visual effects compositor |
| Steffen Hagen | ... | visual effects coordinator |
| Oliver Hearsey | ... | tracking/layout lead: Mr. X Inc. |
| Darren Hinchy | ... | vfx dailies editor: Mr. X Inc. |
| Jesse Hood | ... | visual effects coordinator |
| Garrett Hoyos | ... | lighting artist |
| Chung-Yin Hsieh | ... | compositor |
| Jakub Jeziorski | ... | pipeline td: Scanline VFX |
| Dmitriy Kolesnik | ... | technical director visual effects |
| Leanna Kruse | ... | visual effects coordinator: Soho VFX |
| Sunkwan Lee | ... | visual effects artist |
| Isaac Lipstadt | ... | digital production manager: Scanline VFX |
| Susan Luciani | ... | vfx production manager |
| Xi Luo | ... | digital compositor |
| Chris MacLean | ... | cg supervisor: Mr. X |
| Allan Magled | ... | visual effects producer |
| Vimal Reddy Mallireddy | ... | fx artist: Mr. X Inc |
| Robin Mangat | ... | tracking/layout |
| Adam Marisett | ... | animator sr: Scanline VFX |
| Colin Mayne | ... | matte painter |
| Jamison McCord | ... | compositor |
| Matt Mcewan | ... | digital compositor |
| Claire McLachlan | ... | digital compositor: Mr. X |
| Divyansh Mittal | ... | digital compositor: Soho VFX |
| Benjamin Mossman | ... | on-set lead: Mr. X Inc. / on-set matchmover: Mr. X Inc. |
| Suzanne Murarik | ... | visual effects coordinator |
| Marcin Nikiforuk | ... | matte painter |
| Nikul Patel | ... | Cyber Scanning Technician |
| Lara Perez Takagi | ... | visual effects coordinator |
| Karthic Ramesh | ... | digital compositor: Soho VFX |
| Esmeralda Ramirez | ... | stereo artist: Legend3D |
| Adrian Ratley | ... | lead data wrangler |
| Shinichi Rembutsu | ... | visual effects artist |
| Pasquale Remia | ... | visual effects witness camera operator |
| Florent Revel | ... | layout artist |
| Andy Robinson | ... | compositing manager: Mr. X Inc |
| Fadi Sara | ... | Tracking/Matchmove/Layout Artist |
| Milan Schere | ... | senior matte painter: Mr. X Inc. |
| Seema Schere | ... | matte painter: Mr. X Inc. |
| P. Kevin Scott | ... | animation director: Mr X |
| Keith Sellers | ... | visual effects supervisor: Soho VFX |
| Joseph Severn | ... | vfx lead data wrangler |
| Marcela A. Silva | ... | compositor |
| Stephan Skorepa | ... | lookdev/texture artist: Scanline VFX |
| Ellen Somers | ... | visual effects consultant |
| Jason Stewart | ... | previsualization editor: the thrid floor |
| Naeem Stewart | ... | compositor |
| Michael Tanton | ... | visual effects production assistant: Mr. X Inc. |
| Mike Terrigno | ... | digital compositor |
| Lynda Thompson | ... | Visual Effects Consultant |
| Tzung-Da Tsai | ... | software developer |
| Preethi Venkateswaran | ... | lidar artist / modelling artist |
| Ben Warburton | ... | digital compositor |
| Joshua Watson | ... | roto artist |
| Brianne Wells | ... | visual effects editor: Mr. X Inc. |
| Aaron Williams | ... | lead stereo artist: Legend3D |
| Andrew Winters | ... | visual effects artist |
| Charlie Wong | ... | stereoscopic artist |
| Ashkan Yousefi | ... | visual effects artist |
Stunts
| Giorgio Antonini | ... | military advisor / stunt actor |
| Paolo Antonini | ... | assistant military advisor |
| Faycal Attougui | ... | horse stuntman |
| Mauro Aversano | ... | stunts |
| Frank Bakker | ... | stunt performer |
| Federico Benvenuti | ... | utility stunts |
| Simone Bonelli | ... | stunt performer |
| Samuele Brancato | ... | stunt rigger |
| Michael Byrch | ... | stunt performer |
| Danilo Capuzi | ... | stunts |
| Daniele Chiofalo | ... | assistant military advisor |
| Steve Dent | ... | horse master / stunt coordinator |
| Mark Epstein | ... | stunts |
| Emanuele Ercolani | ... | stunt performer |
| Eduardo Gago Muñoz | ... | stunt double: Messala |
| Laszlo Juhász | ... | assistant horse master / horse supplier |
| Maurice Lee | ... | fight co-ordinator |
| Jean-François Lenogue | ... | stunt performer |
| Chris Manger | ... | stunt rigger |
| Riccardo Mioni | ... | stunts |
| Stefano Maria Mioni | ... | stunts |
| Dario Narducci | ... | junior stunt |
| Cali Nelle | ... | stunt performer |
| Alessandro Novelli | ... | stunt driver |
| Emiliano Novelli | ... | stunts |
| Abdellah Oukseh | ... | stunts |
| Jan Petrina | ... | assistant stunt coordinator |
| Laurent Plancel | ... | stunt performer |
| Massimo Racca | ... | stunts |
| Angelo Ragusa | ... | italian stunt coordinator |
| Andrej Riabokon | ... | stunt double |
| Florian Rrotaj | ... | stunt performer |
| Matthew Sampson | ... | stunt and horse dept supervisor |
| Ferdinando Stazzone | ... | stunt: double "Quintus" |
| Marek Svitek | ... | stunts |
| Phillip Ray Tommy | ... | stunt performer |
| Massimiliano Ubaldi | ... | stunt performer |
| Marco Valerio Verni | ... | Junior Stunt / Junior Stuntman / junior stunt |
| Karanja Yorke | ... | stunt performer |
| Mirko Zamperla | ... | stunt performer |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Roberto Angelelli | ... | grip |
| Emiliano Bambusi | ... | assistant camera |
| Roberto Barbona | ... | grip: second unit |
| Mauro Belli | ... | electrician: second unit |
| Alessandro Bertucci | ... | main unit |
| Valeria Bolocci | ... | video assistant |
| Alessandro Brambilla | ... | steadicam operator (operator b-cam: B camera) |
| Irene Chiappa | ... | camera trainee |
| Lorenzo Ciccarelli | ... | second assistant camera: vfx unit |
| Sergio De Luca | ... | camera operator |
| Daniele Dessena | ... | grip |
| Massimiliano Dessena | ... | key grip |
| Stefano Di Pasquali | ... | dolly grip: b camera |
| Gastone Ferrante | ... | digital imaging technician: second unit |
| Fabio Ferrantini | ... | digital imaging technician |
| Alessio Galasso | ... | drone technician |
| Francesco Luigi Giardiello | ... | digital workflow supervisor |
| David Giorgio | ... | video operator |
| Massimiliano Kuveiller | ... | first assistant camera: "c" camera |
| Emiliano Leurini | ... | a cam operator steadicam second unit |
| Fabio Lucheroni | ... | electrician |
| Lucilla Mazza | ... | video assistant |
| John J. Moers | ... | documentary cameraman |
| Romualdo Nati | ... | hydra head technician |
| Antonio Paolucci | ... | data wrangler |
| Stefano Paradiso | ... | 2nd unit Camera Operator |
| Riccardo Pau | ... | second assistant camera |
| Matteo Pelosi | ... | second assistant c cam |
| Giorgio Pezzotti | ... | best boy: grip |
| Francisco Pintore | ... | first assistant camera: "a" camera |
| Andrea Quaglio | ... | a camera focus puller: second unit |
| Marek Radolf | ... | balloon lighting |
| Marco Raimondi | ... | electrician |
| Massimo Rinella | ... | dolly grip 2 unit |
| Marco Sacerdoti | ... | camera operator: "a" camera |
| Elena Sani | ... | video assistant |
| Lorenzo Sardini | ... | grip |
| Luca Sardini | ... | electrician |
| Cristiano Sergioli | ... | Sorpioarm tecnician second unit |
| Donatella Sforza | ... | video assist operator |
| Marco Sticchi | ... | rigging gaffer |
| Massimiliano Sticchi | ... | best boy: grip/electric |
| Fraser Taggart | ... | 2nd unit dop |
| Martino Tagliaferri | ... | First assistent camera: "d" camera / First assistent camera: "m" camera second unit |
| Paolo Tiberti | ... | key grip: secon unit |
| Emiliano Topai | ... | first assistant camera: "b" camera |
| Daniele Traettino | ... | second assistant camera (second unit) |
| Esther Venanzi | ... | second assistant camera |
| Daniele Verdenelli | ... | gaffer: second unit |
| Fabrizio Vicari | ... | "c" camera operator: second unit |
| Alberto Viscardi | ... | second assistant camera: "a" camera, second unit |
| Francesco Zaccaria | ... | gaffer |
| Giacomo Zampieri | ... | Central Loader/Remote Head Technician, main unit |
| Davide Zanetti | ... | camera assistant: second unit |
Animation Department
| Brad Willis | ... | senior animator (uncredited) |
Casting Department
| Deanna Brigidi | ... | casting associate |
| Chiara Cristino | ... | casting assistant |
| Michela Forbicioni | ... | casting |
| Giaime Grieco | ... | extras casting coordinator |
| Natasha Vincent | ... | casting assistant |
| Kim Winther | ... | casting assistant |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Barbara Adducci | ... | costume coordinator |
| Patrizia Barbera | ... | milliner |
| Costanza Bastanti | ... | set costumer |
| Mattia Bionda | ... | cutter |
| Frieda Basso Boccabella | ... | principal stand-by |
| Giovanni Casalnuovo | ... | associate costume designer |
| Orlanda Contardi | ... | seamstress |
| Serena Fiumi | ... | action unit costume supervisor |
| Augusto Grassi | ... | leather master |
| Enrica Iacoboni | ... | assistant costume designer |
| Saskia Irrgang | ... | seamstress |
| Aurelia Laurenti | ... | seamstress |
| Anna Lillo | ... | seamstress |
| Angelo Malvuccio | ... | cutter: men |
| Alessia Pierantoni | ... | Assistant Leather Master |
| Maria Pia Rossi | ... | head seamstress |
| Marcello Hubert Seregni | ... | costumer: costumer |
| Gilberto Siena | ... | costumer |
| Cathie Valdovino | ... | personal costumer: Morgan Freeman |
| Maurizio Vitiello | ... | costumer |
Editorial Department
| Bob Allen | ... | first assistant editor |
| Ray Boniker | ... | assistant editor |
| Zach Chamberlin | ... | editorial assistant |
| Steven Cuellar | ... | second assistant editor |
| Scott Janush | ... | visual effects editor |
| Stefano Petrucci | ... | assistant editor |
| Andrea Pozzato | ... | digital lab operator |
| Davide Ulissi | ... | digital lab supervisor |
| Jeremy Weinstein | ... | visual effects editor |
| Sarah Pohl | ... | post-production assistant (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Tyson Lozensky | ... | digital recordist |
| Chris McGeary | ... | music editor |
Transportation Department
| Daniele Abeille | ... | Transportation Manager |
| Robert Gaskill | ... | driver: Mr Freeman USA: personal security |
| Giorgia Passarelli | ... | transportation coordinator |
Other crew
| Andrea Alunni | ... | Key location manager |
| Cecilia Alvarenga | ... | production coordinator |
| David Ambrosi | ... | Scorpio Arm Driver: PanaTeam |
| Filippo Baldasso | ... | accommodation coordinator |
| Lavinia Barsotti | ... | Key PA |
| Paresh Behera | ... | 1st asst and eu payroll accountant |
| Eric Biglietto | ... | Scorpio Arm Camera Operator: PanaTeam |
| Giacomo Biscosi | ... | production trainee |
| Pavel P. Bozhkov | ... | production assistant |
| Amanda Brand | ... | unit publicist |
| Martina Campagna | ... | assistant script supervisor |
| Massimo Carboni | ... | Scorpio Arm Technician: PanaTeam |
| Eben Davidson | ... | studio executive |
| Steve Dent | ... | horse supplier |
| Nicola Di Marzio | ... | assistant to location manager |
| Nicola Di Terlizzi | ... | assistant to location manager |
| Daniele Donnarumma | ... | payroll accountant: cast/stunts italy |
| Dale Fagan | ... | manager: Physical Production - MGM |
| Camilla Fava del Piano | ... | ATL's Accommodation & travel Asst. coordinator |
| Maria Fiorito | ... | production accountant |
| Michael Frayeh | ... | financial controller |
| Michael A. Galasso | ... | production coordinator |
| Rachel Griffiths | ... | script supervisor |
| Marilena La Ferrara | ... | first assistant accountant |
| Guido Leonarduzzi | ... | Scorpio Arm Operator: PanaTeam |
| Claudio Lullo | ... | Vice Mayor "Circus" |
| Carla O. Mancini | ... | 2nd assistant accountant (as Carla Mancini) |
| Lucia Marasa | ... | assistant to line producer |
| Michael John Meehan | ... | supervising location manager |
| Robin Melville | ... | location scout |
| Mario Mercuri | ... | payroll accountant: extras |
| Bob Merrick | ... | assistant to executive producer |
| Matthew J. Miller | ... | script coordinator |
| Hernan Ortiz | ... | horse trainer |
| Mike Park | ... | production legal counsel |
| Serena Peleggi | ... | locations office coordinator |
| Nadezda Petrovic | ... | assistant to producer |
| Astra Redler | ... | assistant travel coordinator |
| Maria Piera Sarra | ... | production assistant: office production assistant |
| Dave Sauro | ... | assistant to Sean Daniel |
| Stefanie Schenk | ... | horse department coordinator |
| Cristiano Sebastianelli | ... | Head Payroll: Italy |
| Cristiano Sergioli | ... | Scorpio Arm Technician: PanaTeam |
| Laura Shockley | ... | Executive Assistant to Mark Burnett |
| Lorenzo Sisti | ... | Set P.A. - 2nd Unit |
| Chiara Stefani | ... | tax credit accountant |
| Justin Stork | ... | Executive Assistant to Mark Burnett |
| Elena Taborra | ... | personal assistant: Jack Huston |
| Veronica Tesei | ... | Production Trainee |
| Vincenzo Testa | ... | location manager |
| Didi Tokova | ... | Key 1st Assistant Accountant |
| Marco Della Torre | ... | Track security coordinator "Circus" |
| Cecilia Triestino | ... | assistant script supervisor 2nd unit |
| Rasa Vilkaityté | ... | second assistant accountant |
| Sam Dent | ... | horse dept (uncredited) |
| Jon Sperry | ... | dialogue coach for Rodrigo Santoro (uncredited) |
Release date: February 26,2016
Language: English
Ben- Hur (2016) movie trailer
Storyline: 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.
The chariots are calling Loki, and the Avengers villain just might answer. MGM is digging deep into its back catalog to resurrect Ben-Hur for a new audience, under the stewardship of director Timur Bekmambetov. It stands to reason that the part would be one of the most highly in-demand in Hollywood, and MGM surely could have gone with a big name, or a fresh face. Instead, they might be splitting the difference, eying a man familiar to most audiences, but still as-yet-untested in a lead role.
Deadline reports that MGM wants Tom Hiddleston to star as the famous slave-turned-champion in 2016's Ben-Hur. This version is said to be more closely based on the novel Ben-Hur: A Tale Of The Christ, where the fate of Judah Ben-Hur is contrasted with Jesus Christ. Yep, you've got religion in my gladiator epic! No, you've got gladiator epic in my religion! Oh boy! John Ridley, who just recently earned an Academy Award for penning 12 Years A Slave, is the scribe in charge of the material, which would spotlight the feud between Judah Ben-Hur and former friend Messala, who double-crossed his buddy and allowed him to be sold into slavery. Coooold-blooooded.
Hiddleston is reportedly deciding between two MGM films, the other being the much more modest Me Before You. Based on the Jojo Moyes novel, the story would find Hiddleston as a lifelong overachiever who, after an accident, is restricted to a wheelchair, becoming suicidal as he questions his worth. In his recovery, he becomes close with a "small town girl" who serves as his caretaker and teaches him how to appreciate life. Or maybe they just sit around, pig out on junk food and watch Faces Of Death. MGM has secured a director for the film in theater-experienced Thea Sharrock, who had previously worked with Hiddleston on The Hollow Crown for the BBC. It's a difficult choice for Hiddleston – work on the small film with a former collaborator eager for a big break, or take the big paycheck for the blockbuster from Son Of God producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett?
One of these roles could certainly shoot him into the stratosphere, but what would that mean for his beloved villain Loki? We've seen Hiddleston play the role three times now, and the end of Thor: The Dark World suggested big things ahead for the actor. Loki's no-doubt a juicy role, but he's definitely playing second fiddle to Chris Hemsworth: will he continue to do so if Ben-Hur turns him into the matinee idol his looks and talent suggest he will be? Thor 3 is in the planning stages: hopefully this news means that Marvel will bend over backwards to give Loki some juicy material to devour next time out. - See more at: http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Tom-Hiddleston-Top-Choice-Ben-Hur-Remake-66742.html#sthash.cf1GdwJg.dpuf