Boardwalk Empire's Jack Huston has been cast in the title role of Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince who becomes a slave and then a champion.
Jack Huston has long been familiar with Hollywood history and royalty as the son of Danny Huston, who is also by extension the son of legendary director John Huston. But now Jack Huston is making history of his own, as the Boardwalk Empire actor has been cast in the title role of 2016’s Ben-Hur remake.
As reported in Deadline, MGM and Paramount Pictures have tapped Huston to play the role of Judah Ben-Hur, the Jewish prince who becomes a slave and then a chariot champion during the lifetime of Jesus Christ.
Having already announced Morgan Freeman in the role of Ildarin, the man who teaches Ben-Hur how to race horses, the real major casting announcements to come were that of Ben-Hur and his childhood friend turned hated rival, Messala. The latter role has yet to be cast, but an announcement is likely imminent for the Timur Bekmambetov-helmed project.
Prior to stepping into a role most remembered for star Charlton Heston, Jack Huston has already developed his own fanbase for appearing as the tragically disfigured World War I veteran, Richard Harrow, during the first four seasons of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. Huston also had a small but memorable role in last year’s American Hustle as the gangster who worms his way into Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence’s marriage. The actor can next be seen in 2015’s The Longest Ride and Posthumous. He is also expected to appear as Mr. Wickham in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
MGM and Paramount 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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