Johnny is preparing to produce, and potentially feature in, the first English-language film adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s classic Russian novel, “The Master and Margarita.”
The project, which is currently without a director, is being developed under Johnny’s film production company, IN.2 Film, alongside Svetlana Dali and Grace Loh, who both served as executive producers for “Jeanne du Barry.”
Dali and Loh will collaborate with Johnny, Stephen Deuters, and Stephen Malit on the production. The announcement was made at the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia, where they made a surprise appearance. While the Red Sea Fund previously helped finance Johnny’s 2023 film “Jeanne du Barry,” they are not involved in this new project’s financing.
Filming for “The Master and Margarita” is expected to commence in late 2026.
Dali and Loh are also engaged in a legal dispute with Luminosity Pictures over a recent Russian-language version of the revered novel, directed by Michael Lockshin. This adaptation has seen success in Russia and Europe but has not been released in the U.S. or U.K. The pair claims to have exclusive rights to the story.
The film’s synopsis indicates that the story unfolds in 1930s Moscow, where the devil returns, accompanied by his talking cat, to create chaos among its corrupt inhabitants. It also takes place in Jerusalem during Pontius Pilate’s time, narrating a fantastical tale filled with satire about love, artistic freedom, and the ongoing struggle between good and evil. Additionally, the narrative intertwines with a story about a struggling writer and his partner, Margarita, who is determined to save him from a repressive regime. Overall, it promises to be a darkly comedic and imaginative exploration of philosophical and spiritual resistance, conveying the timeless significance of art.
The collaboration continues Dali’s work with Johnny’s IN.2 Film, following her role in the production of “Jeanne du Barry” and Johnny’s directorial effort “Modì: Three Days on the Wing of Madness.” Natasha Rogal is also producing, with Robert MacLean contributing from Tribune Pictures. Executive producers for the film include Nevin Shalit, Andrew Fourman, Konstantin Elkin from World Visions, Michael Paletta from Tribune Pictures, and the late Michael Lang.
In addition to “The Master and Margarita,” Johnny is in advanced discussions to portray Ebenezer Scrooge in a dark adaptation of “A Christmas Carol,” directed by Ti West for Paramount Pictures. He is also attached to star alongside Penélope Cruz in the upcoming action thriller “Day Drinker,” produced by Lionsgate. These projects signal a return to major studio roles for Johnny since 2018’s “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.”
Johnny is represented by Jack Whigham at Range Media.
