A third film version of Ben-Hur has been delayed until next summer. The film, which stars Jack Huston as Judah Ben-Hur, was originally supposed to come out in February.
Paramount told Entertainment Weekly that the film will hit theaters on Aug. 12, 2016.
The new movie is being directed by Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) and counts The Bible’s Mark Burnett as a producer.
This project actually got started at MGM back in January 2013. Although the first two film versions - made in 1925 and 1959 - were made at MGM, the novel by Gen. Lew Wallace is actually in the public domain. The story centers on a Jewish prince who winds up in slavery, despite his connection to Judea’s Roman leadership. It culminates in a dramatic chariot race, which was so memorably photographed in the 1959 film that it will be really hard for Bekmambetov to top it.
Ben-Hur started filming in already and will also feature Homeland’s Nazanin Boniadi in the female lead role.
This is just the latest date move for Paramount this week. The studio has also delayed a Friday the 13th reboot for Jan. 13, 2017 and scheduled Rings for April 1, 2016.