Synopsis

Wealthy businessman Malcolm King fears his impending divorce will cost him his fortune, so he arranges a fake kidnapping to hide his money. His scheme becomes complicated when an angry employee and a desperate young man independently decide to abduct him. As the competing plots collide, King's carefully controlled life descends into a chaotic series of misunderstandings, betrayals, and comic disasters.

Factoids & Trivia

• The screenplay was written by Wayne Conley, who had previously worked as a writer on the Nickelodeon sitcom Kenan & Kel.

• The film marked Anthony Anderson's first leading role in a major studio feature. At the time, he was better known for scene-stealing supporting performances.

• Jazz bassist and composer Marcus Miller wrote the film's score, adding an unusual musical pedigree to the broad comedy.

• During an interview about the production, Anderson recalled being caught off guard when Jay Mohr appeared nude during a basement scene. The unexpected moment became one of Anderson's most memorable experiences from the set.

• King's Ransom was released by New Line Cinema on April 22, 2005, in 1,508 theaters. It was made for approximately $15 million but earned just over $4.1 million worldwide.

• The film received a PG-13 rating and runs approximately 95 minutes.