<sod>In September 2013, [[Timur Bekmambetov]] was hired to direct the film.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://deadline.com/2013/09/timur-bekmambetov-directing-ben-hur-592340/|title=MGM’s ‘Ben-Hur’ To Ride With Timur Bekmambetov As Director|author=Mike Fleming Jr|work=''[[Deadline.com]]''|date=September 20, 2013|accessdate=March 18, 2016}}</ref> Bekmambetov said the story of ''Ben-Hur'' reminded him of ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'', ''[[Hamlet]]'', and any story written by [[Anton Chekhov]].<ref name="CCC"/> He was fascinated by the 1959 film but found the focus on revenge rather than forgiveness to be the main problem. Hence, he wanted to stress on themes of forgiveness and love rather then mere vengeance. He found "the most important values of pride, rivalry, power, strength, the dictatorship of power and self-love" that were prominent in the [[Roman Empire]] to be passé in the contemporary world of today. Hence, he wanted those themes to be the primary subjects in this version.<ref name="CCC">{{cite web|url=http://collider.com/timur-bekmambetov-talks-unfriended-ben-hur-wanted-2/|title=Timur Bekmambetov Talks UNFRIENDED, BEN-HUR, WANTED 2, and More|author=Elizaveta Chalenko|work=''[[Collider.com]]''|date=April 20, 2015|accessdate=March 18, 2016}}</ref> Bekmambetov was well aware of the comparisons being made with the earlier classical adapted films and hence he felt the need to make the film very different from the others. As a result, he decided to make a realistic drama film rather then a huge tentpole attraction.<ref name="TA">{{cite web|url=http://www.slashfilm.com/ben-hur-remake-action/|title=Don’t Expect to See Any Slo-Mo Chariot Races in the ‘Ben-Hur’ Remake|author=Jack Giroux|work=''[[/Film]]''|date=March 29, 2016|accessdate=April 1, 2016}}</ref><eod>
<sod>In September 2013, [[Timur Bekmambetov]] was hired to direct the film.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://deadline.com/2013/09/timur-bekmambetov-directing-ben-hur-592340/|title=MGM’s ‘Ben-Hur’ To Ride With Timur Bekmambetov As Director|author=Mike Fleming Jr|work=''[[Deadline.com]]''|date=September 20, 2013|accessdate=March 18, 2016}}</ref> Bekmambetov said the story of ''Ben-Hur'' reminded him of ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'', ''[[Hamlet]]'', and any story written by [[Anton Chekhov]].<ref name="CCC"/> He was fascinated by the 1959 film but found the focus on revenge rather than forgiveness to be the main problem. Hence, he wanted to stress on themes of forgiveness and love rather then mere vengeance. He found "the most important values of pride, rivalry, power, strength, the dictatorship of power and self-love" that were prominent in the [[Roman Empire]] to be passé in the contemporary world of today. Hence, he wanted those themes to be the primary subjects in this version.<ref name="CCC">{{cite web|url=http://collider.com/timur-bekmambetov-talks-unfriended-ben-hur-wanted-2/|title=Timur Bekmambetov Talks UNFRIENDED, BEN-HUR, WANTED 2, and More|author=Elizaveta Chalenko|work=''[[Collider.com]]''|date=April 20, 2015|accessdate=March 18, 2016}}</ref> He said that the film is not just about the story of Ben-Hur alone, but rather a shared story of him and his brother, Messala.<ref name="TA"/> Bekmambetov was well aware of the comparisons being made with the earlier classical adapted films and hence he felt the need to make the film very different from the others. As a result, he decided to make a realistic drama film rather then a huge tentpole attraction.<ref name="TA">{{cite web|url=http://www.slashfilm.com/ben-hur-remake-action/|title=Don’t Expect to See Any Slo-Mo Chariot Races in the ‘Ben-Hur’ Remake|author=Jack Giroux|work=''[[/Film]]''|date=March 29, 2016|accessdate=April 1, 2016}}</ref><eod>