Jack Huston, the actor best known for playing Richard Harrow in HBO's Boardwalk Empire, will play the titular role in Paramount and MGM's remake of biblical epic 'Ben-Hur'. Huston joins Morgan Freeman in Timur Bekmambetov's reboot of the 1959 Oscar winning movie, starring Charlton Heston.

Jack HustonJack Huston will play Ben Hur in the epic reboot

The story focuses on Judah Ben-Hur and Messala, who become worst enemies after Messala betrays his friend and allows him to be sold into slavery. Ben-Hur spends years plotting his revenge and the two come to blows in an iconic chariot race. 

More: check out our Jack Huston pictures

More: Everything you need to know about Paramount and MGM's 'Ben-Hur' remake

Sean Daniel and Joni Levin will produce the remake with Jason Brown executive producing and Keith Clarke (The Way Back) penning the script, based on Lew Wallace's novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Director Bekmambetov's previous credits include Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Oscar nominated Wanted, and action fantasy flicks Night Watch and Day Watch.

Tom HiddlestonTom Hiddleston was originally tipped to play Ben-Hur, though appears to have favoured 'Skull Island'

It was previously reported that Tom Hiddleston was Paramount and MGM's first choice to play Judah, though it appears he may have favoured Legendary's King King project 'Skull Island' instead. Still, Huston is clearly a talented and energetic actor and has impressed on Boardwalk Empire. He recently wrapped the Nicholas Sparks adaptation The Longest Ride and will play George Wickham in the movie adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. 

Ben-Hur is scheduled for February 26, 2016.

Watch Ben Hiddleston chatting about Thor: The Dark World at Comic-Con