The Wizard of the Kremlin gets its Putin: everything we know about the movie adaptation so far

British actor Jude Law will play Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in The Wizard of the Kremlin by French director Olivier Assayas. It will be an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Italian writer Giuliano da Empoli, and the role of the current Russian leader will be secondary - Law will embody Putin at the beginning of his political career.

The actor said this in an interview with Deadline. It was already reported in May 2024 that Law would star in this film, but it was not known what role he would play.

Jude Law expressed his excitement. However, he explained that this task reminds him of climbing Mount Everest, the highest peak on the globe.

"I mean, I have, but at the moment it looks like an Everest to climb, so I’m in the foothills looking up thinking, ’Oh Christ, what have I said?’ That’s often how I feel whilst I say yes. I was going, ’Oh God, how am I going to do this?’ But anyway, that’s for me to sort out."

What is known about the movie

The Wizard of the Kremlin is a novel by Italian writer Giuliano da Empoli, which was first published in French in April 2022. The book tells the imaginary story of Vadim Baranov, a former artist and reality TV producer, and later a close associate of Vladimir Putin, nicknamed "Tsar."

Baranov talks about his youth, life in 1990s Russia, his contribution to Tsar's political rise since 1999, and his experience with power, which is the central theme of the book.

Despite the fact that Baranov is a fictional character, critics have noted that he strongly resembles the Russian politician Vladislav Surkov, who served as the first deputy head of the Russian presidential administration from 1999 to 2011. He was considered the Kremlin's main ideologist.

Oscar-nominated actor Paul Dano will play Baranov. Alicia Vikander, Zach Galifianakis, and Tom Sturridge will appear alongside him and Jude Law.

"Working at the heart of Russian power, the enigmatic Vadim Baranov-Putin's chief spin doctor-has used his background in experimental theatre and reality TV to turn the entire country into an avant-garde political stage. Here truth and lies, news and propaganda, have become indistinguishable," the synopsis says.

It is noted that The Wizard of the Kremlin intends to tell the story of Baranov and reveal the dark secrets of the regime he helped build through his eyes.

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