First set photo — Jude Law as Putin in The Wizard of the Kremlin

A new photo from the set of the movie The Wizard of the Kremlin has been posted online. British actor Jude Law plays the role of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

This was reported by Variety.

The first look of "The Wizard of the Kremlin"

Jude Law is expected to play Putin in the early years of his presidency. The film is directed by French filmmaker Olivier Assayas and based on a book by Giuliano da Empoli. According to journalists, the plot of the political thriller is set in the early '90s. All filming took place in Latvia, where production costs were lower than in most other countries.

The project's director noted that Jude Law does not look much like the Russian leader, but the actor is tasked with portraying Putin's image as truthfully as possible on screen.

The film is expected to spark heated debate when it premieres at the Venice Film Festival, given that Russia's war with Ukraine is ongoing.

Assayas quips that he’s "neither the first nor the last to portray terrible characters", citing "Scarface", "The Godfather", "Nosferatu" and his own Emmy-nominated "Carlos" as examples of previous looks at ethically challenged protagonists. 

In addition to Lowe, the film also features Paul Dano, who plays the role of the fictional political strategist Vadim Baranov, based on a real-life Russian politician.

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