Hollywood to dramatise Heineken kidnapping

The kidnapping of Freddy Heineken is to be dramatised in a new film starring British actor Anthony Hopkins as the Dutch brewery heir.

In 1983, a gang of four criminals who had been friends since childhood abducted Heineken, the third-gen of the brewery empire and the man responsible for its global expansion.

Heineken, along with his chauffeur Ab Doderer, was held for three weeks before being ransomed for 35 million Dutch guilders (€14.4 million) – a record-breaking amount at the time.

Daniel Alfredson, the Swede behind the two of the original Millennium Trilogy films, is lined up as director, and it will also feature Australian actors Sam Worthington, Ryan Kwanten and Tom Cocquerel, Brit Jim Sturgess and Dutch actor Mark van Eeuwen.

The Kidnapping of Freddy Heineken is due for release in summer of 2014.