Christian Bale stars as Moses in epic first trailer for 'Exodus: Gods and Kings'

LOS ANGELES, July 9 (UPI) -- Exodus: Gods and Kings released its first trailer Tuesday.

The new Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Prometheus) movie stars Christian Bale as biblical hero Moses. The trailer sheds light on Moses' relationship with his adoptive brother, Rameses II (Joel Edgerton), and highlights the epic nature of the film.

The feature is a reinterpretation of the Old Testament Book of Exodus. According to the Bible, Moses was born into slavery and adopted into the Egyptian royal family. He was fostered alongside Rameses II, but rebelled against his brother once Rameses became pharaoh. Moses is said to have led hundreds of thousands of Israelite slaves to freedom by parting the Red Sea, and later received the Ten Commandments atop Mount Sinai.

"What I thought I knew about Moses I didn't really," the director recently admitted. "I was knocked out by who he was and the basis of the story --- it has to be one of the greatest adventures and spiritual experiences that could ever have been."

Exodus: Gods and Kings is scheduled for release December 14. The movie also stars John Tuturro as Rameses' father Seti, Sigourney Weaver as Rameses' mother Tuya, Aaron Paul as Moses' confidant Joshua and Ben Kingsley as Joshua's father Nun.