Spacey written out of film amid allegations
KEVIN Spacey is being written out of history – or at least out of his latest film, All the Money in the World.
In the wake of serious sexual misconduct allegations against the Oscar winner, and just 43 days away from the drama’s US release, director Ridley Scott has recast Canadian veteran Christopher Plummer in the role and will reshoot all scenes that featured Spacey.
The film had already been completed, and tells the true story of the 1973 kidnapping of John Paul Getty III, grandson of the richest man in the world, Jean Paul Getty – played by Spacey. Getty Sr refused to pay a ransom for the release of his grandson.
Scott is said to have made the decision off his own bat, informing the studio behind the film, Sony Pictures, in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
The director has the full backing of Sony Pictures as well as actors Michelle Williams and Mark Wahlberg, who will likely be required for the reshoots.
Spacey is said to have shot for only eight to 10 days on All the Money in the World, and had many solo sequences, making the restaging of his scenes with Plummer possible on such a tight deadline.
Scott is reportedly determined to still hit the US release date of December 22. The movie is scheduled to open in Australia on January 4.
All the Money in the World had already been pulled from its closing night slot at the American Film Institute’s AFI Fest on November 16.
TriStar – the arm of Sony releasing the movie – at that time issued a statement saying: “Given the current allegations surrounding one of (the film’s) actors and out of respect for those impacted, it would be inappropriate to celebrate at a gala at this difficult time.”