[Jonty30]

When you remove the symbolism and meaning to not offend anybody, you remove the meaning and reason to see it.

[Cowboy Bob]

Wow. I wonder how it feels to get smoked by Ghostbusters (the chick version)

[ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton]

Too bad. It was a great movie.

[vladimir998]

What I don’t understand about Hollywood is that to anyone outside Hollywood this remake sounded like a really bad idea so why didn’t Hollywood figure that out too?

[DannyTN]

“Is this a bust or what?”
“Yes, very impressive!”

[DouglasKC]

I kind of liked this version of Ben-Hur. Gave what I thought was a fairly realistic (as far as that goes) look at life during that time period. It had a good plot, good action without being overpowering action, and the acting was decent. They did have the references to Christ throughout...i know that was in the original but haven't seen that since I was a kid so have nothing to compare it against.

Saw it on a double bill with Star Trek Beyond. Didn't like it. WAY too much action and things going on. Can't even follow the actions of the main characters 1/2 the time due to the spectacle. And I'm a huge star trek fan.

[Sans-Culotte]

I did not wish the filmmakers any ill will, but it was foolish to remake a movie as classic as the 1959 Ben-Hur.

[colorado tanker]

This is one movie that did not need a remake, especially by a now mostly agnostic if not atheist Hollywood.

[HamiltonJay]

What marketing spend?

Honestly, been to the movies a few times recently, other than the poster in the lobby for the thing, don’t think I’ve seen a single ad, or preview or anything else for it.

[Buckeye McFrog]

The trailer for the remake of The Magnificent Seven makes me think this will be a short-lived record.

[LegendHasIt]

I saw a short clip of the chariot race on TV.

Horrible CGI. William Wyler and Robert Surtees got so much more out of men, horses, metal, wood and celluloid than Timur could get out of petaflops and petabytes.

[Snickering Hound]

All that CGI and they did a worse chariot race.

[Michael.SF.]

The math is not right.

The movie cost "nearly 100 Million to make" plus marketing. It had grossed 54 Million so far and they claim a $120 million loss.

My brother-in-law worked as an accountant for a major studio. His comment to me once was: If the box office receipts equal production costs, then everyone has "made money". He also gave me many examples of how they bury 'costs' so as to put money into the right pockets.

[trisham]

Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 28% rating, which is abysmal.

[Bullish]

Not wise at all to try to remake Classic Movies.

What will he try next Gone with the Wind?

[onyx]

This flop was totally predictable.

1959's Ben Hur won a record breaking 11 Academy Awards including BEST PICTURE!

Ben Hur was also the fastest-grossing as well as the highest-grossing film of 1959, and was second in "all time gross receipts" right behind Gone With The Wind at that time.

I remember my parents making reservations with the Capri Theater so we could see Ben-Hur at their Sunday showing right after Church!

[Huskrrrr]

I’m glad they didn’t do an all-female remake.

[apocalypto]

I suppose this happens when you have a great original and then do a remake. Lacking in ideas or simply lazy, Hollywood has made numerous remakes that have not lived up to the original, and thus many people are not eager to so see another one.

[Leep]

Never remake a movie that doesn’t need remade. Remake a movie that hardly anyone has heard of or was only moderately successful or even a flop.

[Popman]

I bet if the original was digitized and released on the big screen, it would have grossed almost as much...

Something as powerful and well made as the original is hard to beat..