The Wizard of the Kremlin
Seen it?2026 | 136 min | Drama
Weeknight WatchWhy it’s a Weeknight Watch
It's still drawing plenty of interest, but a box office flop and a lukewarm 6.4 out of 10 from audiences held it back. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who loves a strong drama.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 16 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
In the chaos of post-Soviet Russia, rising KGB officer Vladimir Putin joins forces with master manipulator Vadim Baranov to reshape life behind the Iron Curtain, using violence and deception to change the world forever.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsSolid
50% on Rotten Tomatoes, 56 on Metacritic
- AudiencesBelow par
6.4 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
Award season hasn't happened yet, so this isn't counted.
- Box office & staying powerWeak
$8 million worldwide
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 524K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Olivier Assayas
- Paul DanoVadim Baranov
- Jude LawVladimir Putin
- Alicia VikanderKsenia
- Tom SturridgeDmitri Sidorov
- Will KeenBoris Berezovsky
- Jeffrey WrightRowland
- Andrei ZayatsIgor Sechine
- Kaspars KambalaAlexander Zaldostanov
- Andris KeišsYevgeny Prigozhin
- George SogisBoris Yeltsin