The Big Picture

• The Wizard of the Kremlin stars Paul Dano, Alicia Vikander, Jude Law, Zach Galifiankis, and Tom Surridge in a political thriller.
• Directed by Olivier Assayas, the film is based on a best-selling novel and will be translated into over 30 languages.
• Dano plays a young artist turned TV producer who becomes Vladimir Putin's spin doctor, revealing dark secrets of the man in power.

The menacing villain in one of the biggest comic book movies of the last several years has officially signed on for a new project. A new report from Variety revealed that Paul Dano, Alicia Vikander, Jude Law, Zach Galifiankis, and Tom Surridge are all set to star in the upcoming political thriller The Wizard of the Kremlin. Olivier Assayas, who previously worked on eight episodes of Irma Vep as well as Wasp Network and Non-Fiction will direct and produce the film, which is based on Giuliano da Empoli's best-selling novel of the same name. The Wizard of the Kremlin will reportedly be translated into more than 30 languages.

Director Assayas will also co-write the film with Emmanuel Carrère, who is in the midst of a big week; his original novel, Limonov, is being adapted into an upcoming film titled Limonov: The Ballad of Eddie, which is set to premiere soon at the Cannes Film Festival. The Wizard of the Kremlin begins in Russia in the early 1990's, shortly after the downfall of the USSR. Dano will play Vadim Baranov, a young-artist-turned-TV-producer who becomes the spin-doctor of Vladimir Putin. The film will tell the story of Putin's rise through Baranov's eyes, revealing dark secrets and hidden agendas of the man he helped ascend to power.

What Else Has ‘The Wizard of the Kremlin’ Cast Been in Lately?

It's been a busy few years recently for Dano after earning an Emmy nomination for his role in Escape at Dannemora in 2019. In 2022, he played the villain The Riddler in Matt Reeves' The Batman opposite Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight, which went on to become the seventh highest grossing movie of the year, earning north of $750 million at the worldwide box office. Law has also been busy of late, starring as Yon-Rogg in the MCU in both 2019's Captain Marvel and the animated series What If...?, and will make his debut in a Galaxy Far, Far away in Star Wars: The Skeleton Crew, which is set to release this Christmas.

Vikander has been working in Hollywood for more than 20 years, but her breakout performance came in 2014 with Alex Garland's Ex Machina opposite Domhnall Gleeson and Oscar Isaac. Galifianakis is best known for his role in The Hangover movies, but recently appeared in Only Murders in the Building. Surridge recently starred as Dream in The Sandman for Netflix.

The Wizard of the Kremlin does not have an official release date. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates of the film and check out Dano as The Riddler in The Batman, now streaming on Max.

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