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.
To capture the thunderous feel of the race, the film crew attached microphones to the horses to record the sound of pounding hooves, and GoPro cameras were buried in the sand. The cameras were also planted on chariots and people, one of which was placed on a soccer ball in the middle of the track while the horses ran over it. The two lead actors did much of their own riding, without harm. Every driver wore Kevlar underneath his costume.