Timur Bekmambetov’s new project was started on February 2, the press service of the Bazelevs film company reports.

      The film Ben-Hur will be shot in the outskirts of the Italian city of Mater, which harbor unique constructions of the Roman Empire epoch, in particular, the country house of Emperor Adrian. At a later stage the film-making team will move to Rome.

      Timur Bekmambetov’s new movie is based on the novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1880) by the American literature classic Lewis Lew Wallace.

      Its main character is Ben-Hur, a young Jew, who met Jesus after a series of misfortunes, which tempered him.

      The new screen version will be very close to Lewis Wallace’s novel. The film scenario was written by John Ridley, the scriptwriter of 12 Years a Slave.

      Jack Huston plays the leading role, Morgan Freeman plays his friend Ilderim, and Brazilian actor Rodrigo Santoro will appear as Jesus.