Between huge franchise projects, Ridley Scott is the kind of director who likes to cleanse his palate with a self-contained drama like The Counselor or Body of Lies now and again. After completing Alien: Covenant, that’s exactly what he plans to do: Scott is finalizing a deal to direct All the Money in the World, a Black List script dealing with the high-profile kidnapping of John Paul Getty III, and Natalie Portman might star.

Deadline reports that the script, written by David Scarpa (The Day the Earth Stood Still), focuses on Getty’s mother’s efforts to get her son back. John Paul Getty III was the grandson of J. Paul Getty, a fabulously wealthy magnate who didn’t have a great relationship with his grandson or his former daughter-in-law Gail Harris. When his grandson was kidnapped in 1973, Harris had a difficult time convincing Getty to pay the $17 million ransom — partly because of their strained relationship and partly because Getty figured if he paid the money, any one of his other grandchildren could be taken, the kidnappers expecting the same reward.

It’s a fascinating story, and a sad one too, as Getty III never recovered from the ordeal, having been chained to a stake in a cave for six months and afterward resorting to hard drugs and overdosing. The role of Harris has attracted some big stars, with Angelina Jolie in talks for a hot minute last week before scheduling conflicts got in the way. Portman is the latest eyed for the part, her recent starring turn as another real-life figure in Jackie earning her an Oscar nomination.

All the Money in the World is probably looking at a 2018 release date.

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