In the newly released trailer for “The Wizard of the Kremlin,” viewers can see Jude Law’s striking resemblance in the role of Vladimir Putin.

The political drama by Olivier Assayas centers on Putin’s rise on the international stage, through his relationship with Vadim Baranov, played by Paul Dano—a character inspired by Vladislav Surkov, who has been described as the “gray cardinal” of Russian politics.

In the trailer, Baranov is shown guiding Putin toward a cynical approach to geopolitics, aiming, as stated, “to sow chaos” and “to build the myth that Russians control the modern world.” Although much of the discussion ahead of the film’s release focused on Jude Law’s transformation into a younger Putin—particularly his appearance—the film appears to place greater emphasis on Paul Dano’s role.

Watch the trailer

The film also stars Alicia Vikander, Will Keen, Tom Sturridge, and Jeffrey Wright. The screenplay is co-written by Assayas and Emmanuel Carrère, and is based on the novel of the same name by Giuliano da Empoli.

The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2025. Vertical has secured the distribution rights in North America and plans to release the film in theaters on May 15.