The Wizard of the Kremlin(2026)

Name: The Wizard of the Kremlin
Director: Olivier Assayas
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Released: May 15, 2026
Cast: Paul Dano, Alicia Vikander, Tom Sturridge, Will Keen, Jeffrey Wright

Vertical Entertainment

R
Rated R for language, some sexual material, graphic nudity, violence and a grisly image.
2h 16m

Release Date: May 15, 2026 | Wide

Russia, early 1990s. Amid the collapse of the Soviet Union, a young man named Vadim Baranov tries to find his footing — first as an artist, then as a reality TV producer. When a rising KGB officer named Vladimir Putin needs someone to build his image and manage his myths, Baranov becomes the man behind the curtain. Over the next two decades, he shapes a country through propaganda, deception, and spectacle, while the world outside descends into war. A political epic about the architecture of modern autocracy, told from inside the room where it was built.

Releases

Original Release | May 15, 2026

View Advanced Data

Box Office Results

Updated as of May 18, 2026 11:14 AM ET

Results

Opening Weekend US & Canada:
$483,390
Total US & Canada:
$483,390
Total International
$7,720,818
Total Worldwide:
$8,204,208

Current Showtimes

orround

Tue May 19
Wed May 20
Thu May 21
Fri May 22
Sat May 23
Sun May 24
Mon May 25

Director & Top Cast

Olivier Assayas
Director

Paul Dano
Vadim Baranov

Alicia Vikander
Ksenia

Tom Sturridge
Dmitri Sidorov

Will Keen
Boris Berezovsky

Jeffrey Wright
Rowland

Jude Law

Vladimir Putin

Andrei Zayats

Igor Sechine

Dan Cade

Agent Johnson

Anastasia Sutter

Putin friend

Matthew Baunsgard

Larry

Alexander Johnson

Putin Secretary

Emmanuel Carrère

Actor

Andris Keiss

Yevgeny Prigozhin

Marija Linarte

Anastasia

Anton Lytvynov

Restaurant patron

Magne-Håvard Brekke

Edouard Limonov

Sergey Podymin

Restorant guest, Theatre spectator, Lobby bar visitor

Technical Specifications

Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

Other Details

Country of Origin: France,United States

Language: English

Summaries

Plot Summary

The Wizard of the Kremlin is a 2025 French political drama directed by Olivier Assayas and co-written by Assayas and Emmanuel Carrère. The film is based on the 2022 novel by Giuliano da Empoli. It follows Vadim Baranov (Paul Dano), a fictional political strategist and propagandist loosely inspired by Vladislav Surkov, widely known as the grey cardinal of Russian politics. Jude Law plays Vladimir Putin across the film's timeline, from his early KGB years through his consolidation of power. The cast also includes Alicia Vikander, Tom Sturridge, Will Keen, and Jeffrey Wright. The film was shot in March 2025 in Riga, Latvia, standing in for Moscow and other Russian locations. It is produced by Curiosa Films and Gaumont, co-produced with France 2 Cinéma, and executive-produced in part by Disney+. The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2025, where it was nominated for the Golden Lion, and also screened at TIFF. Vertical acquired North American rights in February 2026 and released the film theatrically on May 15, 2026. The film runs 136 minutes and is rated R. It holds a 46% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Core themes include propaganda, political myth-making, power, deception, and the manufacture of modern autocracy. The film is for audiences drawn to political drama and European art cinema.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Vadim Baranov based on?

Is Jude Law's portrayal of Putin the focus of the film?

Why was the film shot in Riga, Latvia?

How did critics receive it?

When was it released?

Fun Facts

Though directed by French auteur Olivier Assayas and produced by Gaumont and Curiosa Films, the movie was filmed in Riga, Latvia in March 2025 as a stand-in for post-Soviet Russia. Despite the setting, every line of dialogue is delivered in English.