Hi, Bryan Here….

MGM is back in business.  With its success from ‘Skyfall‘ and ‘The Hobbit‘, the once bankrupt studio is rolling in the dough and is purchasing a project, which is a remake of ‘Ben-Hur‘ from 1959 that starred Charlton Heston. Keith Clarke wrote the spec script, which he has done a couple documentaries and a narrative film called ‘The Way Back‘, which starred Colin Farrell, Jim Sturgess, and Ed Harris.

This purchase comes with Sean Daniel and Joni Levin as producers. Levin has worked with Clarke before on most of his projects whereas Daniel has produced a wide variety of films ranging from ‘Dazed and Confused‘ to ‘Mallrats‘ to all of the ‘Mummy‘ films.  The original ‘Ben-Hur‘ story was a novel by Lew Wallace from 1880 and is still one of the best selling boks of all time.  And according to Deadline, the project will be based on the book more so than the Heston film from 1959.

This project will tell the story of the characters as they grew up best friends before the Roman Empire took over Jerusalem. Daniel said, “It’s one of the great stories of friendship and betrayal, and faith, that works in the context of a big onscreen action thriller for a global audience.”  I can’t imagine how much MGM wil spend on this film.  i just hope it turns out lucrative for them.  And who will fill the iconic roles.  Pretty large shoes to fill.  And Yes, I did know that the 1959 remake was a remake of a 1925 silent film, which was a remake of a 1907 silent reel, which was based on a book from 1880. And I guess it is about time they remade it, however the producer of the Scorpion King and the Mummy films makes me have doubts.

Your thoughts?