The Harrowing Kidnapping That Inspired All The Money In The World

If you've heard of All the Money in the World, it's probably because of the movie's last-minute, and quite miraculous, casting change. Kevin Spacey had originally starred as the film’s leading character, real-life oil tycoon (and notorious spendthrift) J.P. Getty. Within 22 hours of hearing of Spacey's alleged sexual misconduct made headlines, director Ridley Scott had made the executive decision to remove Spacey entirely from the film, and reshoot each scene with Christopher Plummer playing Getty instead. Scott’s risky, $10 million dollar endeavour paid off — All the Money in the World is Spacey-free, and only three days behind schedule.

What might be less familiar, however, are the horrendous events that inspired All the Money in the World. The story has all the makings of a blockbuster movie: A tremendous fortune. A high-profile kidnapping. And a grandfather who wouldn't give up a penny of his billions to save his grandson's life.

On January 5, you can see this story come to life on screen — without having to see Kevin Spacey's face. For now, here is the true story behind the movie.