The Kremlin Mage, a political thriller from Olivier Assayas, airs on Canal+ on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at 9:07 p.m.
Released in theaters on January 21, 2026, the film brings together Paul Dano, Jude Law and Alicia Vikander in an adaptation of Giuliano da Empoli’s novel. It will also be available on demand on Canal+ starting September 1.
In 1990s Russia, the collapse of the Soviet Union ushers in a fragile veneer of freedom alongside deep-seated upheaval. Vadim Baranov, once an artist and now a television producer, closes ranks with an ambitious FSB officer — the modern heir to the KGB — and slowly becomes his unofficial consigliere.
Played by Paul Dano, Baranov grasps how imagery, media narratives, and the performative side of power can shape public opinion. He accompanies Vladimir Putin’s rise, portrayed by Jude Law, as he becomes one of the chief architects of his regime. His relationship with Ksenia, played by Alicia Vikander, offers, however, a possible escape from this tightly controlled world.
Fifteen years later, retired from public life, Baranov agrees to tell his story to a writer played by Jeffrey Wright. His revelations trace the upheaval of post-Soviet Russia, while deliberately blurring the lines between testimony, personal justification, and manipulation.
The screenplay is co-written by Olivier Assayas and Emmanuel Carrère. The film adapts Giuliano da Empoli’s debut novel, which was awarded the Grand Prix du roman de l’Académie française in 2022. Its central character is fictional, but draws on the advisers and political strategists who have helped shape contemporary Russia’s rise to power.
Around its leading cast, the ensemble includes Tom Sturridge, Will Keen and Jeffrey Wright. Produced by Curiosa Films, France 2 Cinéma and Gaumont, Le Mage du Kremlin was shot across France, Latvia and Italy. It was unveiled in official competition at the Venice Film Festival 2025 before its release in French cinemas.
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