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'Son of God' Producers Signed for Ben-Hur Remake

CBN

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More than 50 years after actor Charlton Heston brought the classic novel "Ben-Hur" to life on the silver screen, Paramount and MGM have signed Mark Burnett and Roma Downey to produce a remake.

The couple has struck a chord among Christian consumers with their productions of "The Bible" miniseries and the subsequent "Son of God" movie.

"We are thrilled to have Mark and Roma join the production team to bring such an indelible classic story to the big screen," MGM CEO Gary Barber said in a statement.

"Their unrivaled passion, creativity and success in the faith-based content space will be a huge asset to the film, and we look forward to working together," he said.

Chris Stone, founder of Faith Driven Consumer, the group behind the movement that played a role in Phil Robertson's return to "Duck Dynasty," applauded the move.

He said the decision was a sign that Hollywood had learned its lesson from the film "Noah," which got a chilly reception from Christian audiences.

"If Faith Driven Consumers were a core target for 'Noah,' Darren Aronofsky (an atheist) was the wrong choice," he said in a statement.

"Having left untold millions on the table with that film," he continued, "Paramount appears to have learned from its mistakes and to be taking a completely new approach with the upcoming remake of 'Ben-Hur' by signing producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey."

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