Ben Hur Remake

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variety.com/2014/film/news/mark-burnett-roma-downey-on-board-ben-hur-as-producers-1201163901/

Mark Burnett and Roma Downey (“Son of God”) have joined MGM-Paramont’s “Ben-Hur” as producers.

The studios are co-producing the film, set for release on Feb. 26, 2016.

Burnett joins Sean Daniel (“The Mummy” Franchise) and Joni Levin as a producer. Downey is an executive producer.

“Wanted” director Timur Bekmambetov is helming from a screenplay originally written by Keith Clarke with revisions by “12 Years a Slave” writer John Ridley, who will exec produce along with Clarke and Jason F. Brown. The project is based on Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel “A Tale of the Christ.”

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deadline.com/2014/08/sweet-chariot-tom-hiddleston-courted-for-ben-hur-title-role-818434/

MGM, Paramount and Timur Bekmambetov set a February 26, 2016, release date on an epic remake of Ben-Hur; have they found their chariot driver in Tom Hiddleston? I hear that he’s the one the studios are courting to play Judah Ben-Hur in the adaptation of the 1880 Lew Wallace novel Ben-Hur: A Tale Of The Christ, which was the biggest-selling novel of its time until it was eclipsed by Gone With The Wind.

Hiddleston isn’t being fitted for a toga just yet. He has other projects vying for his services, including the MGM pic Me Before You. Keith Clarke, who scripted the Peter Weir-directed The Way Back, wrote the script that MGM pounced on after that company got ambitious following its emergence from bankruptcy and huge hits in Skyfall and The Hobbit. Mark Burnett and Roma Downey joined Sean Daniel and Joni Levin as producers, with Clarke and Jason Brown exec producing. Oscar-winning 12 Years A Slave scribe John Ridley wrote the last draft.

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variety.com/2014/film/news/jack-huston-ben-hur-casting-1201281099/

MGM and Paramount Pictures seem to have found the man to take over the reigns of biblical character Judah Ben-Hur in the remake of the 1959 classic.

Sources tell Variety that Jack Huston has been tapped to star in “Ben-Hur” that Timur Bekmambetov (“Wanted”) is directing.

The script was written by Oscar-winning “12 Years a Slave” scribe John Ridley and Keith Clarke, who sold the original spec to MGM.

The film is based on Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel “Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ,” and follows a falsely accused nobleman who survives years of slavery to take vengeance on his best friend who betrayed him.

The pic is set to bow on Feb. 26, 2016.

“Ben-Hur” joins the long list of Hollywood’s recent interest in biblical stories that have either bowed or are set to bow in the next couple of years. Paramount had already seen success from this genre with “Noah,” Darren Aronofsky’s take on the Noah’s Arc story starring Russell Crowe.

That pic grossed $359 million worldwide, including more than $100 million domestically.

Fox and Chernin just wrapped production on their Moses pic “Exodus: Gods and Kings,” which will bow in December and stars Christian Bale. The studio is also developing a King David pic that Ridley Scott is producing.

Huston is best known for his role in HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” as Richard Harrow and recently signed on to co-star in the adaptation of “Pride Prejudice and Zombies.”

He is repped by UTA. Deadline first reported the news.

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variety.com/2014/film/news/toby-kebbell-ben-hur-messala-casting-1201308652/

Having recently wrapped “Fantastic Four,” in which he plays the evil Doctor Doom, Toby Kebbell may have found another bad boy role.

Sources tell Variety Toby Kebbell is in early talks to play Messala in MGM and Paramount’s remake of “Ben-Hur.”

Jack Huston was recently tapped to play Judah Ben-Hur with Timur Bekmambetov set to direct.

The script was written by Oscar-winning “12 Years a Slave” scribe John Ridley and Keith Clarke, who sold the original spec to MGM.

Based on Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel “Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ,” the epic drama follows a falsely accused nobleman who survives years of slavery to take vengeance on his best friend who betrayed him. Kebbell will play that best friend, who was portrayed by Stephen Boyd in the 1959 classic.

The pic arrives in theaters Feb. 26, 2016.

“Ben-Hur” joins the long list of Hollywood’s recent interest in biblical stories that have either bowed or are set to bow in the next couple of years. Paramount had already seen success from this genre with “Noah,” Darren Aronofsky’s take on the Noah’s Arc story starring Russell Crowe.

“Noah” grossed $359 million worldwide, including more than $100 million domestically.

As for Kebbell, the British actor has become a go-to antagonist in Hollywood. Besides playing Doctor Doom in Fox’s upcoming reboot of “Fantastic Four,” Kebbell was recently seen as playing Koba, the rival to Caesar, in “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.”

He also recently wrapped production on Legendary’s “Warcraft.”

Kebbell is repped by CAA and Independent Talent Group.

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variety.com/2014/film/news/wonder-woman-gal-gadot-eyes-female-lead-in-ben-hur-1201331184/

Gal Gadot is in early talks for the female lead in MGM and Paramount’s remake of “Ben-Hur.”

Jack Huston is on board to play Judah Ben-Hur with Toby Kebbell set for the role of Messala. Morgan Freeman is also attached.

Timur Bekmambetov is set to direct.

The script was written by Oscar-winning “12 Years a Slave” scribe John Ridley and Keith Clarke, who sold the original spec to MGM.

Based on Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel “Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ,” the epic drama follows a falsely accused nobleman who survives years of slavery to take vengeance on his best friend who betrayed him. Kebbell will play that best friend, who was portrayed by Stephen Boyd in the 1959 classic.

Gadot will play Esther in this pic, which arrives in theaters Feb. 26, 2016.

This news comes on the heels of the announcement that a standalone “Wonder Woman” film starring Gadot will bow in 2017. She is repped by ICM Partners.

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www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/man-steel-actress-talks-ben-748218

Man of Steel Actress in Talks for 'Ben-Hur'

Ayelet Zurer is joining Paramount and MGM's retelling of the classic sword-and-sandals epic

Man of Steel and Daredevil actress Ayelet Zurer is in negotiations to join Paramount and MGM's Ben-Hur.

Jack Huston is starring as the Jewish prince who is betrayed into slavery by his onetime friend, Messala, played by Toby Kebbell. He fights his way to freedom and vengeance, with a couple of chariot races thrown in for good measure. Morgan Freeman is also on board as the man who teaches Ben-Hur how to win at chariot racing.
Zurer would play Judah Ben-Hur's (Huston) mother, Naomi.
Timur Bekmambetov is directing the movie, which is both a remake of the Charlton Heston-starring 1959 movie (which won 11 Oscars) and an adaptation of the Lew Wallace novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, published in 1880. For the remake, Keith Clarke wrote the script with a rewrite by John Ridley.
The team behind hit miniseries The Bible, Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, are on board as producer and executive producer, respectively. Sean Daniel and Joni Levin are also producing while Ridley, Clarke and Jason F. Brown are executive producing.
Zurer is an Israeli actress whose recent roles have included Angels & Demons and Man of Steel. She’s finished work on Last Days in the Desert with Ewan McGregor and, on the TV side, most recently appeared on Rake. She'll next be seen in Marvel and Netflix's Daredevil, planned to debut next year. She’s repped by Paradigm and Sloane Offer

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variety.com/2014/film/news/romes-cinecitta-studios-lures-ben-hur-redo-and-other-hollywood-studio-shoots-1201363451/

Rome’s Cinecitta Studios Lures ‘Ben Hur’ Redo And Other Hollywood Pics

ROME – Rome’s Cinecitta Studios is boasting a burst of biz prompted by tax incentives which are luring back Hollywood majors, including Paramount and MGM with their “Ben Hur” remake more than five decades after the Charlton Heston original shot at the famed facilities.

A portion of the upcoming 24th James Bond film is also among high-profile pics scheduled to shoot in Rome early next year.

Cameras are set to roll at Cinecitta starting in February 2015 on MGM and Paramount’s “Ben Hur” redo, to be helmed by Timur Bekmambetov with Jack Huston in the title role, according to a Cinecitta statement. Production designer Naomi Shohan will be reconstructing pre-Roman empire Jerusalem on the Cinecitta backlot for a planned four-month shoot. Toby Kebbell is set for the role of Messala and Morgan Freeman is also attached. The script was co-written by Oscar-winning “12 Years a Slave” scribe John Ridley and Keith Clarke, who sold the original spec to MGM.

MGM’s 24th James Bond film is instead expected in Rome between February and March 2015 with reported plans for high-speed car chases down the Eternal City’s narrow cobble-lines streets, and Bond parachuting down onto the ancient Ponte Sisto bridge on the Tiber.

Cinecitta also says Paramount’s “Zoolander 2″ is prepping to shoot on its historic backlot next year. Penelope Cruz has reportedly joined the cast of the buzz comedy alongside Ben Stiller who will also direct from a Justin Theroux script. Stiller has been in Rome scouting locations and going to parties including a bash thrown by Rupert Murdoch’s Sky Italia paybox for its Sky Arte channel.

There are two U.S. pics currently at Cinecitta. One is “Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt,” based on Anne Rice’s eponymous best-selling novel about young Jesus as he comes to discover his real identity. Directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh, who directed and wrote “The Stoning of Soraya M.,” the religious epic is based at Cinecitta and on location in Matera, Italy, where Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ” was shot. Focus Features has slotted an Easter 20126 release. The other is U.S. indie thriller “Voice From the Stone,” starring Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”) produced Zanuck Independent and Code 39 Films and helmed by first-timer Eric D. Howell.

Until recently the historic studios known as Hollywood on the Tiber in their 1960′s heyday had been languishing, with production levels plummeting since the 1990′s and workers protesting against layoffs.

But the massive 100-acre facility once considered Europe’s largest is now reaping the rewards of generous 25% tax break for foreign film shoots, the cap on which was crucially raised to Euros 10 million ($12.4 million) earlier this year.

“We waited a long time for our incentives to be tailored to the needs of international productions,” said Cinecitta Studios general director Giuseppe Basso. “As soon as this happened some very important projects signed on, confirming that Rome and Italy can still be competitive internationally in a sector that has always been considered strategic,” he enthused.

Italian Culture Minister Dario Franceschini over the weekend hailed Cinecitta’s “extraordinary comeback” claiming that having the U.S. majors back will bring a windfall of Euros 150 million ($186 million) in investments.