Director Timur Bekmambetov insisted that the chariot circus be built for real, and be realized with as little computer graphics imagery as possible. He felt it was absolutely necessary, to make the chariot race look and feel realistic.
William Wyler, who directed Ben-Hur (1959), was good friends with John Huston, grandfather of Jack Huston, the star of this film.
In 1977 Charlton Heston, while being interviewed to promote Gray Lady Down (1978), stated that he would be happy to star in a remake of Ben-Hur (1959), but only if he got to die in the end.