Movies that Halted or Needed a Recast Due to an Actor’s Criminal Charges

Film productions run on tight schedules, but criminal charges against a cast member can force studios to pause, rethink, or even rebuild projects already in motion. Sometimes a release gets yanked from the calendar; other times, entire performances are reshot so the film can move forward.

Below are notable cases in which criminal charges against an actor led to halted releases or recasting. For each film, you’ll find the essentials—what the story covers, who’s involved behind and in front of the camera, and what specifically changed in production or distribution.

‘Magazine Dreams’ (2025)

Written and directed by Elijah Bynum, ‘Magazine Dreams’ follows aspiring bodybuilder Killian Maddox and his punishing quest for recognition; Jonathan Majors plays Maddox, with Haley Bennett, Taylour Paige, and Harrison Page among the principal cast. The film premiered on the festival circuit to strong attention, with Searchlight Pictures setting a theatrical rollout before pulling it from the schedule after Majors was charged in a domestic-violence case.

With the release on hold, rights reverted and domestic distribution shifted to Briarcliff Entertainment, which ultimately put ‘Magazine Dreams’ into theaters. Credits remained intact—Bynum as writer-director and Majors, Bennett, and Paige in top billing—while marketing and posters reflected the distributor change rather than any re-edit of the cast or crew.

‘The Match’ (2025)

‘The Match’ dramatizes the mentor-protégé rivalry between Go legends Cho Hun-hyun and Lee Chang-ho; Kim Hyung-joo directs from a screenplay by Kim Hyung-joo and Yoon Jong-bin, with Lee Byung-hun as Cho and Yoo Ah-in as Lee. Shot after an extended prep, the sports biopic was initially lined up for a streaming debut and then a standard theatrical campaign.

After Yoo Ah-in was indicted on drug-use charges, the release was postponed and reconfigured, first to a domestic theatrical rollout and then to a global streaming window. The film’s credits list MoonLight Film Company and BH Entertainment among the producers, with cinematography by You Eok and editing by Kim Sang-bum; the cast and crew on screen remained unchanged when it finally reached audiences.

‘Rust’ (2025)

‘Rust’ is a Western written and directed by Joel Souza about outlaw Harland Rust, who goes on the run with his grandson after the boy is sentenced to hang; Alec Baldwin stars as Rust alongside Patrick Scott McDermott, Frances Fisher, Josh Hopkins, and Travis Fimmel. Following the on-set shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded Souza, production stopped and later faced further delays when prosecutors filed involuntary-manslaughter charges against Baldwin.

Filming eventually resumed under tightened safety protocols, with Bianca Cline stepping in to complete cinematography and the producing team adding new safety personnel. The finished film retained Souza’s direction, Baldwin’s lead performance, James Jackson and Lilie Bytheway-Hoy’s score, and the principal ensemble, but its schedule and release strategy shifted to accommodate the legal proceedings and restart.

‘All the Money in the World’ (2017)

Ridley Scott’s ‘All the Money in the World’ recounts the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III, with Michelle Williams as Gail Harris and Mark Wahlberg as fixer Fletcher Chace. Late in post-production, Scott removed Kevin Spacey from the role of J. Paul Getty and reshot every affected scene with Christopher Plummer, reassembling cast and crew to execute the change on a compressed timetable.

The recast required new dialogue and coverage with Williams and Wahlberg, fresh work by cinematographer Dariusz Wolski, and a sprint through editorial and sound to meet the holiday corridor. While the decision followed public allegations that preceded later criminal cases involving Spacey, the end product reflects a full performance swap—Plummer’s scenes, new credits, and revised campaign materials—without altering the film’s story structure, crew leadership, or score by Daniel Pemberton.

‘Ramaleela’ (2017)

Directed by Arun Gopy and produced by Tomichan Mulakuppadam, ‘Ramaleela’ is a Malayalam political thriller led by Dileep and Prayaga Martin, with supporting turns from Radhika Sarathkumar and Kalabhavan Shajon. The release was ready to go when Dileep was arrested and charged in a high-profile assault case, prompting an indefinite delay while exhibitors and distributors reassessed plans.

After the postponement, the producers coordinated with theaters to mount a later rollout, keeping the cut unchanged and the credit blocks intact. The finished film reflects Gopi Sundar’s music, Shaji Kumar’s cinematography, and the original cast as shot; the disruption was strictly in timing and logistics rather than in on-screen personnel.

‘Kammara Sambhavam’ (2018)

Rathish Ambat directs ‘Kammara Sambhavam’, a satirical period thriller starring Dileep in the title role with Siddharth, Murali Gopy, and Namitha Pramod. Mid-shoot, production halted after Dileep was arrested and charged in the same case that affected other Malayalam releases, leaving schedules, sets, and budgets in limbo.

Filming restarted once the production regrouped, with Ambat continuing at the helm, Murali Gopy’s script unchanged, and the same department heads—make-up, costumes, and camera—returning to complete the period work. The pause did not trigger a recast; instead, the call sheets shifted to complete remaining scenes and wrap post-production for a standard theatrical bow.

Share any other film cases we should include—drop your examples in the comments.