Claes Bang (“The Square,” “The Northman”) stars as a KGB counterintelligence officer in “Billion Dollar Spy,” a cold war thriller headlined by Oscar-winner Russell Crowe and Harry Lawtey (“Industry”).
Directed by BAFTA winner Amma Asante (“A Way of Life”), the film is produced by Walden Media and Weed Road Pictures.
Now shooting in Budapest, “Billion Dollar Spy” is adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author David E. Hoffman’s book by the same name, about the true story of Soviet spy Adolf Tolkachev. Ben August (“Class Rank,” “Remember”) and Oscar-winner Stephen Gaghan (“Traffic”) penned the screenplay. Variety revealed a first look of the film last week, as Cannes market kicked off.
Crowe stars as Tolkachev, who was among the CIA’s most invaluable assets during the Cold War. Disillusioned with the Soviet regime, Tolkachev risked his life to pass thousands of pages of top-secret intelligence to the United States.
Lawtey plays his CIA handler inside Moscow Station. The cast is completed by Vera Farmiga, Willa Fitzgerald, Tony Goldwyn, Rufus Sewell and Justin Theroux.
Frank Smith, Benjamin Tappan, and Cher Hawrysh of Walden Media are producing alongside Akiva Goldsman and Greg Lessans of Weed Road Pictures. Jane Hooks serves as an executive producer. Pioneer Stillking Films’ Ildiko Kemeny, David Minkowski, and Ferenc Szále will serve as co-producers. Naia Cucukov is an executive producer.
Bang became an international star after his breakout performance in Ruben Östlund’s Oscar-nominated feature “The Square” which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2017, and six European Film Awards, including best actor for Claes.
The actor’s main credits also include “William Tell;” “The Northman;” “Bonjour Tristesse;” “The Girl in the Spider’s Web” and the upcoming “Wrecking Crew.” Bang is represented by UTA and UK-based Sharkey & Co.
