TV Article Ben-Hur trailer: Jack Huston is off to the (chariot) races By Devan Coggan Devan Coggan Devan Coggan (rhymes with seven slogan) is a staff writer at Entertainment Weekly. Most of her personality is just John Mulaney quotes and Lord of the Rings references. EW's editorial guidelines Published on March 16, 2016 Huston is taking over from Heston. Paramount and MGM have released the first trailer for their upcoming take on Ben-Hur, starring Jack Huston as Judah Ben-Hur, the role Charlton Heston originated in the 1959 classic. Ben-Hur follows the disgraced prince as he’s falsely charged with treason and forced into slavery by his own adopted brother (Toby Kebbell). He soon returns in a quest for vengeance, as a man named Ilderim (Morgan Freeman) offers to sponsor and train him to become a top chariot racer. Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) is directing, with Rodrigo Santoro, Nazanin Boniadi, Ayelet Zurer, and Sofia Black D’Elia also starring. Like its Heston-led counterpart, the new Ben-Hur is based on Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel. The 1959 film won 11 Academy Awards, a record number for any single film and one that still stands. (It’s now tied with Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.) The new Ben-Hur hits theaters on Aug. 12.