Kevin Spacey, the troubled actor, has been removed from the main role in the historical drama 1242: Gateway to the West because of allegations of sexual assault lodged against him. A replacement for the actor is not yet found, according to Variety. Producer Bill Chamberlain confirms that Kevin Spacey will not appear in the historical drama in which he was set to play the role of an archbishop who leads the defences of a Hungarian castle against an army led by Genghis Khan. Spacey’s absence from the film is a result of the sexual assault case currently being pursued against him, Chamberlain says.
This isn’t Spacey’s first brush with the abyss, however. Following similar charges in 2017, he was fired from his role as Frank Underwood on the Netflix political drama House of Cards. With the producers standing behind their star, he intends to return to performing in Peter Five Eight. Some men have come forward to accuse Spacey of sexual misconduct and assault. This concerns the allegations of sexual assault by three males in the United Kingdom between 2005 and 2013.
On Thursday, he appeared in court and pled not guilty to all five charges of sexual assault he is now accused of. It is expected that the trial will commence on June 6 of the following year. A legal suit initiated by actor Anthony Rapp against Kevin Spacey will be heard in New York later this year. During the course of 2017, Rapp became the first person to publicly accuse Spacey. On Channel 4, a documentary series called Spacey Unmasked has been commissioned to cover the actor’s career ascent and decline, as well as his current legal struggles.
Without Spacey, production on 1242: Gateway to the West will not be able to move further. The film was marketed in Cannes and is expected to cost between $10 million and $25 million. Péter Soós will helm the film, which Chamberlain will produce. The film’s two-month filming period will begin on October 17.
Here’s what the movie’s official description has to say about it:
A single fortress, the castle of Esztergom, stood in their way as the Mongol armies decimated Hungary’s armies at the Battle of Mohi. The formidable army of Genghis Khan’s grandson Batu marches up to the gates of Esztergom. Capt. Simon and his Spanish mercenary men are preparing for the decisive fight while Eusebius, the canon of Esztergom, leads the castle defences. As Cardinal Cesareani arrives, the Mongol Lunar New Year’s celebration, and Eusebius’s spiritual presence, there is a gleam of optimism for the defence.