Brace yourselves, movie fans and global politics enthusiasts—Jude Law is about to step into the mother of all roles. That’s right, the dashing British actor is swapping his charm for chilling stares as he prepares to play Russian President Vladimir Putin in a new movie. Yes, that Putin. The guy who could out-scowl a cat that just got wet.
This cinematic adventure, titled The Wizard of the Kremlin, is the brainchild of French filmmaker Olivier Assayas. Honestly, with a title like that, we were half-expecting Jude to be waving a wand in a fur hat, shouting “Abracadabra!” at international diplomacy.
Jude spilled the beans during an interview with Deadline, admitting that this role has him both terrified and intrigued. “I say that hesitatingly because I haven’t really started work on it yet,” he confessed, clearly already regretting his life choices. “I mean, I have, but at the moment it looks like an Everest to climb.” Climbing Everest sounds easier than nailing a Russian accent while making people believe you’re the Vladimir Putin.
The actor continued, painting a vivid picture of his inner panic: “I’m in the foothills looking up thinking, ‘Oh Christ, what have I said?’” Relatable, Jude. We’ve all agreed to something ambitious and immediately thought, Why didn’t I just stick with Netflix and snacks?
But what’s this movie even about? Is it just two hours of brooding in a Kremlin hallway? Not quite. Based on Giuliano da Empoli’s bestselling novel, The Wizard of the Kremlin whisks us back to Russia in the chaotic 1990s—a time when the USSR was gone, capitalism was calling, and everyone was winging it. Enter Vadim Baranov, a young artist-slash-TV producer who somehow becomes the PR mastermind behind Putin’s rise to power. Because nothing screams “career change” like going from painting to spinning for a former KGB agent.
Paul Dano (of The Batman and “Creepy Guy in Everything” fame) will play Vadim. Alicia Vikander is also along for the ride, probably adding some much-needed glamour to this bleak world of politics, propaganda, and icy glares.
While we wait to see Jude Law’s transformation into Vlad the Intense, one question lingers: Will he get the infamous bare-chested-on-a-horse scene? Or at least wrestle a bear? Time will tell, but one thing’s for sure—this role is a long way from The Holiday.
