Last year, it was reported that Jude Law would be co-starring in director Olivier Assayas’ new movie The Wizard of the Kremlin without specifying his role. Now, the actor has confirmed he will be playing Vladimir Putin in the adaption of Giuliano da Empoli’s novel of the same name.

In a recent interview with Deadline, Law opened up about the intimidating task of playing the Russian dictator. “At the moment it looks like an Everest to climb, so I’m in the foothills looking up thinking, ‘Oh Christ, what have I said?’” he revealed. “That’s often how I feel whilst I say yes. I was going, ‘Oh God, how am I going to do this?’ But anyway, that’s for me to sort out.”

The original Wizard of the Kremlin book was published in 2022 and tells the story of Vadim Baranov, a reality show producer who doubled as...