Freeman, 77, is the first formal casting made for the movie although it was reported last month that Tom Hiddleston was eyed for the titular role, reported Ace Showbiz.
Freeman is set to play the role of Ildarin, the man who teaches the slave Judah Ben-Hur to become a champion-caliber chariot racer.
An actor is yet to be cast as Messala, Ben-Hur's friend-turned-rival.
'Ben-Hur' is an adaptation of Lew Wallace's 1880 novel titled 'Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'. This version will focus on the blood feud between Ben-Hur and Messala, who grow up best friends before the Roman Empire takes control of Jerusalem.
Timur Bekmambetov is directing the film which will be released on February 26, 2016 as a joint project between MGM and Paramount.
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