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Jude Law becomes Vladimir Putin for a French filmmaker
For his upcoming film adaptation of the best-selling novel The Wizard of the Kremlin by Giuliano da Empoli, French director Olivier Assayas has cast British actor Jude Law in the controversial role of Vladimir Putin. A bold and intriguing project, which already made waves at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, scheduled for release in 2026.
Published on 29 August 2025. Updated on 12 November 2025.
The Wizard of the Kremlin: Olivier Assayas’s new film starring Jude Law
After casting Vincent Macaigne and Nora Hamzawi in his latest film Suspended Time (2024), French director Olivier Assayas has secured a major figure of British cinema for his upcoming feature. Indeed, actor Jude Law – recently seen in the historical drama Firebrand (2024) – will portray the controversial political figure of Vladimir Putin in a film adaptation of the novel The Wizard of the Kremlin (2022) by Giuliano da Empoli.
Not an easy task given the international reputation of the former KGB officer… On that topic, Jude Law told Deadline: “Right now, it feels like climbing Mount Everest.”
Paul Dano, Alicia Vikander… A prestigious cast
The Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (2024) actor – who previously worked with David Cronenberg, Wong Kar-Wai, Clint Eastwood – will star opposite Paul Dano (The Batman, Little Miss Sunshine). The latter will play Vadim Baranov, a fictional character loosely inspired by Vladislav Yuryevich Surkov, Putin’s former éminence grise. Swedish actress Alicia Vikander (Firebrand) and Tom Sturridge will also join the cast.
The pitch? “Russia in the 1990s. The USSR has collapsed. Amid the turmoil of a country under reconstruction, a razor-sharp young man named Vadim Baranov carves his path. First an artist, then a reality TV producer, he becomes the unofficial advisor to a former KGB agent destined for absolute power – none other than the future ‘Tsar’, Vladimir Putin. Immersed inside the system, Baranov becomes a key element of the new Russia, shaping speeches, images, and public perception.”
A screenplay co-written by Emmanuel Carrère
Olivier Assayas co-wrote the political thriller The Wizard of Kremlin with writer Emmanuel Carrère. The film had its world premiere at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, where it was part of the official competition. While Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother took the Golden Lion home, The Wizard of Kremlin drew the attention of the public.
Journalists praised Jude Law’s performance, lauding his uncanny transformation into the political figure – perfected with a wig. “It’s amazing what you can do with a good wig,” the actor declared during a press conference at the festival.
The Wizard of Kremlin (2026) by Olivier Assayas, coming out in theatres on January 21st, 2026.
