Jack Huston to star in <em>Ben Hur</em> remake

Los Angeles - Jack Huston has been added to the cast of the Ben Hur remake.

The Boardwalk Empire actor has been handed the titular character in Timur Bekmambetov's remake of the 1959 biblical movie, according to The Wrap.

The movie is also set to feature Hollywood legend Morgan Freeman, who has been cast in the role of role of Ildarin, originally Ilderim, the man who transforms Judah Ben-Hur into a champion chariot racer.

The original biblical movie, released in 1959, is based on Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, which tells the story of Ben-Hur, a prince who is betrayed and sold into slavery.

The story runs parallel to the life of Jesus.

The remake is scheduled to be released in November 2016.

Meanwhile, Huston is to play Wickham in the adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride And Prejudice And Zombies.

The London-born actor has been handed the role of Wickham in the new film, which fuses Jane Austen's classic novel from 1813 with tales of the walking dead.

He will appear alongside British actors Lily James and Sam Riley, as well as Australia's Bella Heathcote.