First ‘Ben-Hur’ Trailer Reveals Ambitious New Adaptation
MGM and Paramount Pictures have released the first trailer
for Ben-Hur, a new adaptation of Lew Wallace’s classic novel. Directed by
Wanted and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter helmer Timur Bekmambetov, the film
tells the epic story of Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston), a prince falsely accused
of treason by his brother Messala (Toby Kebbell).
This first look certainly lacks the subtlety and, at times,
quiet focus of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator or William Wyler’s excellent adaptation
of the same source material, but it’s nowhere near as ostentatious as the
year’s latest desert-set picture, Gods of Egypt. So while I’m fully aware that
this iteration of Ben-Hur won’t be counted as a contender come this year’s
Oscar talk, it’s a bit less sinful than I expected a modern-day adaptation of
religious-themed fiction to be. The action centerpiece of this film, as teased
in the trailer, is the classic chariot race, a sequence that looks to be worth
the price of admission if Bekmambetov’s previous films are any indication.
Watch the trailer below. The film also stars Morgan Freeman,
Rodrigo Santoro, Nazanin Boniadi, Ayelet Zurer, and Sofia Black D’Elia. Ben-Hur
opens in theaters on August 12th.
Here’s the official synopsis for Ben-Hur:
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.
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Image via MGM/Paramount
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Image via MGM/Paramount
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