Timur Bekmambetov's Ben-Hur Remake Gets a Brief Third Trailer

One of my favorite Best Picture Oscar winners of all time has always been William Wyler's "Ben-Hur," which tells of a Jewish prince who is betrayed by his Roman friend, with the former becoming a slave who eventually returns home to take his revenge. Its epic scope, thrilling story, and incredible production values made it a great film then (taking 11 Oscars in the process), and still make it a stunning experience nearly 60 years later. I suppose that's why it seemed like a prime target for a remake, though it remains questionable as to whether a CGI version of the tale will have nearly the same impact as the practical 1959 film, especially when it comes to the infamous chariot race.

We've already had a couple of trailers that gave us a good look at Timur Bekmambetov's ("Wanted," "Night Watch") upcoming remake, but with only about three weeks left to go, Paramount has released another briefer trailer focusing on the rivalry between Judah Ben-Hur and Messala.

Speaking of briefer, the film apparently only runs about two hours, whereas the original ran for nearly four, so it'll be quite interesting to see what this latest adaptation of the tale focuses on and chooses to leave out of the epic tale. There's always a chance that this could be a decent remake, but it still begs the question as to why they would feel the need to remake a film that was already a masterpiece in the first place. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see how this venture turns out in just a few weeks.

"Ben-Hur" is set for release on August 18, 2016.

Do you think remaking this classic was a good idea? Let us know in the comments below!

Follow me on Twitter @BeckFilmCritic and be sure to subscribe for the latest updates.