Kevin Spacey pulls out of Genghis Khan film after sex assault charges
Bang Showbiz
Jul 14, 2022

Kevin Spacey has reportedly pulled out of an upcoming film about Genghis
Khan amid his latest sexual assault case.

The 62-year-old actor - facing four counts of sexual assault and one of
"causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without
consent" in the U.K. - had been due to play the lead in an epic about
the Mongol Empire warlord.

He has denied the allegations after travelling from the U.S. to Britain
to contest the allegations.

The Usual Suspects actor had been cast in 1242: Gateway to the West,
which charts the story of a holy man in a Hungarian castle who battles
to stop Genghis Khan's armies sweeping Europe.

A producer on the movie, Bill Chamberlain, told Variety on Thursday the
Oscar-winner is to be replaced, with another actor taking the role of
the holy man in the Peter Soos directed project.

Negotiations are understood to be underway with a new lead who will be
revealed later.

Spacey appeared in court in London on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to
the five historical sexual assault charges, which stretch back 17 years.

He had previously strongly denied the allegations made against him by
three men, now in their 30s and 40s.

Spacey, on unconditional bail, attended the court to enter his not
guilty plea and was told by Mr Justice Wall his trial will start on June
6, 2023.

It is due to last three to four weeks.

The alleged offences are said to have been committed in London and
Gloucestershire between 2005 and 2013, when Spacey was artistic director
of the Old Vic theatre, London.

His charges include two counts of sexual assault on a man, now in his
40s, in March 2005 in London, as well as sexual assault on a man, who is
now in his 30s, and causing him to engage in penetrative sexual activity
without consent in August 2008 in London.

There is also an allegation of sexual assault on a man, also now in his
30s, in April 2013 in Gloucestershire.

Spacey's lawyer Patrick Gibbs QC has said the actor "strenuously denies
any and all criminality in this case."

He added the actor had returned to the U.K. to "establish his innocence"
and "proceed with his life."

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I was watching All The Money In The World for the first time a few
nights ago, a $2.50 Big Lots find. I had completely forgotten about the
big scandal with Spacey and how they (quite amazingly) reshot all his
scenes with Christopher Plummer 22 days before the film was released
until one of the featurettes in the DVD went into that. None of the
stars ever mention Spacey by name though, the closest they come is "a
guy who took a misstep." Some kind of professional courtesy I guess.

As for the movie, pretty good work from all involved if you can get past
the "ear scene." I was expecting Ridley Scott to make it pretty intense,
and he didn't disappoint. I looked away a lot, lol.

On 7/17/2022 11:26 PM, super70s wrote:
> Kevin Spacey pulls out of Genghis Khan film after sex assault charges
> Bang Showbiz
> Jul 14, 2022

"Pulls out" wouldn't have been my choice of words.