Overview

• Presented in the main competition at the Venice Film Festival, the film features Jude Law as Vladimir Putin in a portrayal the actor says he approached without fearing repercussions.
• Law described preparing through extensive video study, a physical transformation including a wig, and judo training to capture the leader’s mannerisms.
• Written by Emmanuel Carrère from Giuliano Da Empoli’s novel, the story centers on Vadim Baranov, played by Paul Dano and inspired by strategist Vladislav Surkov, spanning from the 1990s to the 2014 Crimea invasion.
• The production was filmed in English and shot in Latvia because filming in Russia was not feasible, with Carrère citing HBO’s Chernobyl as a model for language choice.
• Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov responded by praising Putin’s global stature, while producer Gaumont set a French theatrical release for January 2026 and the ensemble includes Jeffrey Wright and Alicia Vikander.