Rodrigo Santoro comes as Jesus in new image of "Ben-Hur"

Rodrigo Santoro plays Jesus in the new adaptation of the epic "Ben-Hur"

Universal announced on Thursday (30) a new photo of the actor Rodrigo Santoro characterized as Jesus Christ in "Ben-Hur".

In the image, the actor appears aiding the British Jack Huston, who plays the main character. The publisher also confirmed that the two actors will be in Brazil on 1 August to promote the film and talk to the press. The film will premiere forecast for August 18.

The story of Ben-Hur, based on the novel by Lew Wallace, had already turned movie in 1959 with Charlton Heston in the lead role winning 11 Oscars. The curious thing is that in that film, the face of Jesus Christ is never shown, unlike this new adaptation.

The plot tells the story of Judah (Jack Huston) unjustly accused of treason. After suffering years as a slave, it returns to take revenge on his tormentor, his own brother Messala (Toby Kebbell). Revenge is the traditional race Roman chariot.

The new adaptation will take the direction Timur Bekmambetov and cast Morgan Freeman as Ilderim, Nazanin Boniadi as Esther, Sofia Black D'Elia as Tirzah, Ayelet Zurer as Naomi, Moises Arias as Gestas and Pilou Asbæk like Pontius Pilate.