Walden Media and Weed Road Pictures’ Billion Dollar Spy has added a slew to the Russell Crowe-Harry Lawtey Cold War thriller as production gets underway in Budapest, Hungary.
Joining are Tony Goldwyn as CIA case officer Burton Gerber, Rufus Sewell as CIA Moscow Bureau Chief Gus Hathaway and Justin Theroux as CIA case officer Van Spencer. Additionally, Tennyson Crowe joins as Sasha Tolkachev, Adolf’s son in the Amma Asante directed adaption of Pulitzer Prize-winning author David E. Hoffman’s book.
Billion Dollar Spy tells the true story of Soviet spy Adolf Tolkachev, played by Crowe. Lawtey portrays Tolkachev’s CIA handler inside Moscow Station. Previously announced, Vera Farmiga is playing Tolkachev’s wife Natasha, while Willa Fitzgerald is playing Mae Lenihan. Tolkachev 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. A portrait of Tolkachev, with spy camera in hand, still hangs in the CIA’s Langley, Virginia headquarters; the only non-American portrait there.
Hoffman’s book was adapted for the screen by Ben August (Class Rank, Remember) and Oscar-winner Stephen Gaghan (Traffic, Syriana, Rules of Engagement),
Frank Smith, Benjamin Tappan, and Cher Hawrysh of Walden Media are producing alongside Akiva Goldsman and Greg Lessans of Weed Road Pictures. Jane Hooks and Naia Cucukov are EPs. Pioneer Stillking Films’ Ildiko Kemeny, David Minkowski, and Ferenc Szále will serve as co-producers. Hanway Films is handling international sales, and CAA Media Finance is handling domestic rights.
“Bringing Billion Dollar Spy to life demands more than just great filmmaking—it requires a cast that can embody the emotional intensity and quiet heroism of these real people,” said Frank Smith, President and CEO of Walden Media. “Under Amma’s direction, we’re confident this cast of extraordinary actors will deliver performances that do justice to David Hoffman’s riveting book and to Tolkachev’s remarkable act of courage.”
“We are thrilled that such an exciting project with an amazing team behind it is finally in production and look forward to sharing more news with buyers in Cannes,” said Gabrielle Stewart, CEO of HanWay Films.
Goldwyn’s many credits include Oppenheimer, Murder Mystery 2 and 124 episodes of Scandal where he played U.S. President Fitzgerald Grant. Sewell stars on Netflix’s series The Diplomat and starred in such movies as The Uninvited, Old, The Father and Judy. Theroux starred in the Warner Bros blockbuster Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the HBO series White House Plumbers as G. Gordon Liddy, and the Apple TV+ series The Mosquito Coast.
Goldwyn is represented by CAA, Untitled and Schreck Rose. Sewell is represented by CAA, Julian Belfrage Associates and Jackoway Austin. Theroux is represented by CAA, Lighthouse Management & Media and Felker Toczek. Tennyson Crowe is represented by George Freeman at Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
