‘Ben-Hur’ Film Updates: Details Revealed on Re-Creating Iconic Chariot Race from Original Adaptation; Toby Kebbell Addresses Gay Sub-Plots

‘Ben-Hur’ is an epic historical film to feature the classic iconic chariot race from the original 1959 adaptation starring Charlton Heston. Meanwhile, lead actor Toby Kebbell addressed the film’s gay sub-plots.

One of the most iconic scenes in classic cinema was the thrilling chariot race that took place between warring brothers Judah Ben-Hur and Messala Severus. The two characters were famously portrayed by Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd respectively in the original 1959 film of the same name, which gained critical acclaim as well as box office success.

Director Timur Bekmambetov’s retelling will star Jack Huston as Judah and Toby Kebbell as Messala as the two characters face off on the big screen once again. According to USA Today, Bekmambetov’s upcoming film will follow the story of Judah as he goes on a vengeful mission against his adopted brother after he was betrayed and sent to a life of slavery under the Romans. Upon his return, Judah challenges Messala to a grand chariot race.

Kebbell admitted that the chariot race scene was one of the reasons that convinced him to take on the role of Messala. He said, “That’s probably not the most sensible thing for an actor to say. I should talk about how wonderful the story was or how incredible the history of it is but the opportunity to pull four real horses was astonishing.”

Stunt coordinator and horse master Steve Dent admitted that re-creating the classic scene was one of the more challenging aspects of shooting the upcoming film. It was revealed that Bekmambetov used a variety of camera equipment, including GoPros, to execute a scene influenced by ‘Fast and the Furious’ style racing as well as NASCAR and Formula 1.

It was also revealed that Dent previously asked Kebbell and Huston if they required stunt doubles for the scene to which they declined. The two lead actors then underwent a total of six months of training with chariots and horses.

Huston recalled working on the challenging set saying, “For those few moments when you’re just tearing around that arena, you’re not thinking about life. You literally focus on just the job at hand because you realize the severity of what you’re doing.”

Meanwhile, Kebbell addressed claims of homosexual overtones from the 1959 film while speaking at the Los Angeles premiere. According to the Belfast Telegraph, late screenwriter Gore Vidal previously suggested that Judah and Messala were former lovers to which Heston overtly dismissed.

Kebbell explained, “It wasn't something we avoided but it wasn't something we had… In 1959, the gay context was very important. They need a voice. You shouldn't have to hide in the dark about something you feel and you're grown with… That was their own thing they wanted to portray and we didn't need to. It's a different time, thankfully."

‘Ben-Hur’ is an upcoming epic historical action-drama film scheduled to premiere in the United States on August 12, 2016. It stars Kebbell, Huston, Rodrigo Santoro, and Morgan Freeman among others. It is produced by LightWorkers Media, Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer (MGM), Paramount Pictures, and Sean Daniel Company.

The original 1959 adaptation of Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel was considered one of the biggest-budgeted films produced at the time. It earned $73 million at the domestic box office against a budget of $15 million. It also won multiple accolades including a record of 11 Academy Awards.