How did Ridley Scott reshoot the film with a new actor so quickly?

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Ridley Scott Replaced Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer in a Rapid Nine-Day Reshoot for "All the Money in the World"

Director Ridley Scott made the swift decision to remove Kevin Spacey from All the Money in the World and replace him with Christopher Plummer, undertaking a complete reshoot of the film within a remarkable nine-day period in mid-November. This extraordinary move was announced in November following allegations of sexual misconduct against Spacey, with Scott expressing concern that negative publicity would jeopardize the film's commercial prospects. The urgency of the situation necessitated the rapid completion of Plummer's scenes across London and Rome.
Plummer Focused on Script Amidst Tight Deadline

Christopher Plummer, aged 88 at the time, approached the reshoot by concentrating on the script rather than attempting to replicate Kevin Spacey's performance. Plummer stated that he "made no pretense at research" for the role, emphasizing his need to adhere closely to the written material within the compressed nine-day timeframe. He specifically aimed to imbue the character of J. Paul Getty with a sense of vulnerability and humanity that he felt was not fully conveyed in the original script.
Financial Implications of the Reshoot

The decision to reshoot incurred significant additional costs for the production company, Imperative Entertainment. While the film's original reported budget stood at US$40 million, an estimated US$10 million was added to cover the expenses associated with the reshoots. Despite these substantial costs, Ridley Scott expressed hope that the attention generated by the reshoot decision, announced only six weeks before the film's scheduled release, might ultimately draw audiences to the cinema out of curiosity.
Shift in Character Portrayal

The replacement of Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer also resulted in a subtle alteration of the film's overall tone. Scott noted a perceived "coolness" in Spacey's style, whereas he found Plummer possessed "enormous charm." This charm, when applied to the dialogue, was felt to make the character of J. Paul Getty more compelling and layered. Plummer's interpretation aimed to present a more nuanced portrayal of the oil billionaire.

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How did Ridley Scott reshoot the film with a new actor so quickly?

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