‘The Wizard Of The Kremlin’ Trailer: Paul Dano & Jude Law Star In Political Drama Charting Putin’s Rise

Back in August we unveiled a first clip for Oliver Assayas’ drama The Wizard of the Kremlin starring Paul Dano and Jude Law ahead of its Venice debut and now we can reveal the full international trailer.

Adapted by Assayas and award-winning screenwriter and novelist Emmanuel Carrère from the eponymous novel by Giuliano da Empoli, the film delves into the Byzantine politics of post-Soviet Russia and the rise to power of Vladimir Putin.

Dano plays spin-doctor and advisor Vadim Baranov, a fictitious character loosely inspired by real-life Russian politician Vladislav Surkov, opposite Law as Putin, who first appears on screen as a cold-blooded KGB agent with a ruthless, power hungry streak.

The new trailer also unveils Alicia Vikander as Baranov’s beautiful wife Ksenia; Tom Sturridge as a banker and oligarch based on the real-life former oil and gas baron Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who found himself in jail after challenging Putin’s grip on power; Will Keen as late oligarch Boris Berezovsky, who died in exile in London in suspicious circumstances and Jeffrey Wright as an American journalist in Moscow, in whom Dano’s Baranov confides.