Directed by Olivier Assayas, the political thriller film ‘The Wizard of the Kremlin’ tells the story about how in the chaos of post-Soviet Russia, rising KGB officer Vladimir Putin joins forces with master manipulator Vadim Baranov to reshape life behind the Iron Curtain, using violence and deception to change the world forever. Putin and Baranov’s reign of chaos begins with lies and corruption, and quickly escalates to assassinations, tyranny, and eventually all-out war.
‘The Wizard of the Kremlin’ stars Paul Dano as Vadim Baranov, Alicia Vikander as Ksenia, Tom Sturridge as Dmitri Sidorov, Jeffrey Wright as Rowland, and Jude Law as Vladimir Putin, with Will Keen as Boris Berezovsky, and Andrei Zayats as Igor Sechine.
Written by Olivier Assayas and Emmanuel Carrère, ‘The Wizard of the Kremlin’ is produced by Olivier Assayas and Sidonie Dumas. Production companies are Curiosa Films, Gaumont, and France 2 Cinéma.
The film’s cinematography is by Yorick Le Saux and editing is by Marion Monnier.
Watch the trailer below:
Vertical will release ‘The Wizard of the Kremlin’ in North America theaters on May 15, 2026.
