Last seen (sort of) in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (as the headstrong antagonistic ape Koba), Toby Kebbell seems to be a man in demand at the moment; as not only has he just finished playing Doctor Doom in the upcoming Fantastic Four movie, but he’s now in talks to take on a key role in the upcoming remake of the beloved classic Ben-Hur.
With Boardwalk Empire star Jack Huston recently claiming the titular role of downtrodden hero Judah Ben-Hur (since Tom hiddleston signing on to Skull Island took him out of the running, after being pipped for the top spot), Kebbell, should he lock down a deal, could star as Messala; best friend to Ben-Hur, and the son of a Roman tax collector who leaves to live in Rome, before returning to Jerusalem, blaming an accident on Ben-Hur, having him sold into slavery, and becoming the subject of Ben-Hur’s epic quest for revenge.
With Morgan Freeman (The Dark Knight Rises) in place to star as the man who schools Ben-Hur in the art of the chariot race, in the Timur Bekmambetov (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) directed remake which has been scripted by John Ridley (12 Years A Slave), Ben-Hur is due to be released in 2016.
Matt Wheeldon – @TheMattWheeldon.
Source: Variety.
