Morgan Freeman roped in for 'Ben-Hur' remake

Morgan Freeman has been roped in for 'Ben-Hur' remake under MGM and Paramount Pictures production.

The 77-year-old actor will play the role of Ildarin, the man who teaches the slave Ben-Hur to become a champion-caliber chariot racer, Deadline.com reported.

The movie is closely based on the 1880 Lew Wallace novel 'Ben-Hur: A Tale Of The Christ'.

The movie is scheduled for February, 2016 release.