Shogun Star to Portray Young Stalin in Thrilling Biopic

Cosmo Jarvis is set to portray Joseph Stalin in 'Young Stalin,' a film directed by Gela Babluani. Based on Simon Sebag Montefiore's work, the biopic explores Stalin's early days as a bank robber in pre-revolutionary Russia, highlighting his rise to power.

'Shogun' actor Cosmo Jarvis is stepping into the shoes of the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin for the biopic 'Young Stalin'. The film, directed by Georgian-French filmmaker Gela Babluani, is financed by Len Blavatnik's Access Entertainment, as stated in a Variety report.

Inspired by Simon Sebag Montefiore's acclaimed classic, 'Young Stalin' chronicles the Soviet strongman's evolution from a bank-robbing bandit in pre-revolutionary Russia. Babluani collaborated with Sebag Montefiore to write the screenplay, with support from AI Film and Monte Rosso Productions. The film delves into early 20th-century Russia's criminal underworld, highlighting the formative incidents in Stalin's life, including the largest bank heist in Russian history, according to Variety.

Director Gela Babluani expressed his intrigue: "I've always been drawn to stories that live in the shadows, and there's no shadow longer than Stalin's. This isn't a portrait of power -- it's a descent into the fire that forged it." He emphasized Cosmo Jarvis's suitability for portraying a character with such dual-faced danger, charm, and identity fractures. The actor's future projects include Guy Ritchie's 'Wife & Dog' and A24's Iraq War film 'Warfar'.

(With inputs from agencies.)