Morgan Freeman is the first official casting announcement for 2016's Ben-Hur remake. He will play Illdarin.
Possibly the definitive Biblical epic, the 1959 version of Ben-Hur stands as sacred ground in film history. So, if one is to tread lightly there, who better to join you than an actor many audience members have seen play God?
Paramount Pictures, MGM, and director Timur Bekmambetov have cast Morgan Freeman in the film as Ildarin. This is the first casting of the picture.
For those who recall the classic William Wyler film, the role was previously played by Hugh Griffith (though called Sheik Ilderim), and it is the man who convinces Judah Ben-Hur to take up chariot racing as a form of revenge on the man that wronged him.
Deadline is also reporting that the studios are close to casting Judah Ben-Hur and his Roman rival, the villainous Messala. It is also said that Tom Hiddleston has been approached for one of these two roles, though it is unclear which or if he is still being considered.
The studios, who previously united to produce this past summer’s Hercules reimagining from Brett Ratner have agreed to produce a new take on the Ben-Hur character with director Timur Bekmambetov (Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter) at the helm. John Ridley, who scripted 12 Years a Slave, has also written this new version of the tale.
We have conflicted feelings about this. While it continues to vindicate the Resurrection of the Biblical Epic, a predicted feat that is no longer too surprising since this spring’s Noah has gone on to gross $300 million worldwide in only three weeks of release. Nonetheless, Ben-Hur (1959) is a personal favorite of mine and is arguably the best movie ever based around a biblical story.
Granted, the 1959 picture, which was directed by William Wyler and starred cinema’s closest approximation of a marble statue in one Charlton Heston, is also a remake of the iconic 1925 movie of the same name. And both are adaptations of American Civil War Union veteran General Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. However, Ben-Hur is obviously one of those rare instances where the film adaptation’s cultural impact, at least in the 20th century-onwards, transcends its literary source. Also, it is hard to imagine CGI or digital video surpassing the stunning use of 70 millimeters and in-camera stunts for the chariot race.
But like the titular hebrew, perhaps we should stop fighting with our own self-doubts and embrace the future to come?
Ben-Hur races into cinemas on February 26, 2016.
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