Jude Law bears a striking similarity to Vladimir Putin as British heartthrob documents his rise to the Russian Presidency in first trailer for The Wizard Of The Kremlin

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He looks quite different from his usual on-screen persona. With his receding hair, pale skin, and serious expression, he’s a far cry from the dashing leading man we’re used to.

Jude Law, known for his roles in romantic comedies, is taking on a very different challenge. He’ll be portraying Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, in the upcoming film, The Wizard Of The Kremlin.

Director Olivier Assayas made a surprising but brilliant casting choice: Jude Law, age 52, looks remarkably like Vladimir Putin in the first trailer for the film, which was released on Tuesday.

This British actor tells the story of Vladimir Putin’s transition in 1991 from a lieutenant colonel in the KGB to a major player in Russian politics, and how he rose to the top of the Soviet government.

The series will also highlight Putin’s known passion for staying in shape and enjoying outdoor activities, featuring Law portraying him working out and jet-skiing.

The new movie is based on Giuliano da Empoli’s 2022 novel, and tells the story of how Putin came to power and established his authoritarian rule.

In this story, Paul Dano plays Vadim Baranov, a young artist who unexpectedly finds himself working as a political strategist for a rising Putin, helping him launch his career.

Baranov operates within the core of the Russian government, skillfully manipulating information and using propaganda to control the narrative and essentially treat the entire country like a staged performance.

‘Only his love for the magnetic, free-minded Ksenia can turn him away from this dangerous game. 

This book explores the life of Baranov, using his experiences to reveal the hidden truths about the system he played a part in creating.

Okay, so you won’t believe this, but the author, Giuliano da Empoli? He wasn’t just writing books! He was actually a top advisor to Italy’s Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi! It just makes everything he writes even more fascinating, knowing he was right in the middle of all that political stuff. Seriously, I had to find that out – it adds so much context!

Many experts believe the book’s main character was based on Vladislav Surkov, a Russian official.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for the Kremlin, told Variety that Russian officials knew about the film’s production, but no one asked them for input.

I’m so excited for this movie! It’s incredible to think it’s going to reach audiences all over the world, with translations planned for 30 different languages. It’s being made by Curiosa Films, Olivier Delbosc’s production company, alongside Gaumont, which is fantastic news – they always deliver quality!

The Wizard of the Kremlin is co-written by Assayas and Emmanuel Carrère. 

While promoting his latest project at the Venice Film Festival in August, Jude Law acknowledged that portraying Vladimir Putin presented certain difficulties, especially when trying to separate the character from the politics surrounding him.

We didn’t intend to cause trouble just for the sake of it. This character is part of a larger narrative, and we weren’t attempting to make any statements about people in general,” he explained to The Guardian.

What I found most challenging was how little he revealed about himself publicly. People have even called him ‘the man without a face’ because he keeps his personal life so private.

The director, Olivier Assayas, often guided me to express specific emotions in scenes, but I intentionally aimed for a more subdued performance, creating a sense of inner conflict as I tried to reveal very little on the surface.

Olivier Assayas’s new movie, his first filmed in English, features Alicia Vikander, Tom Sturridge, Jeffrey Wright, and Will Keen in the cast.

The Wizard Of The Kremlin is expected to go on general release from January 2026. 

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2025-11-11 13:34