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Historical drama

Tsar (2009): Cast, Box Office & Plot

Tsar (2009) movie poster

Tsar is a 2009 historical drama directed by Pavel Lungin, starring Дмитрий Сорокин, Sergey Garmash and Oleg Yankovskiy. It runs 1 hour 59 minutes and earned $5.5 million worldwide.

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Read the plot summary
Tsar (2009) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 59m (119 min)
Director
Pavel Lungin
Genres
History , Drama
Original language
Russian
Studio
Studio Pavla Lungina
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Tsar About?

The premise of Tsar without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Set in 16th‑century Russia, the film follows Ivan the Terrible, convinced of a divine mission and the imminent Last Judgment, as he seizes absolute power and ruthlessly eliminates opposition. His close friend, Philip, the abbot of the Solovetsky monastery, challenges Ivan’s mystical tyranny, sparking a clash of opposing worldviews that pits morality against autocracy. Mamonov and Yankovsky deliver strong performances in this grand‑scale allegory of Stalinist Russia.

Tsar Themes & Keywords

· 10 tags
  • russia
  • russian history
  • ivan the terrible
  • 16th century
  • brutality
  • despotic rule
  • tzar
  • orthodox
  • one word title
  • based on true story
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Cast & crew

Tsar Cast & Characters

Дмитрий Сорокин leads the cast, with Sergey Garmash as дикторский текст, озвучка and Oleg Yankovskiy as метрополит Филипп. Directed by Pavel Lungin; 29 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Tsar

· 25 more
Show all 29 cast members
From the director

More from Pavel Lungin

More films directed by Pavel Lungin, best-rated first: Tycoon: A New Russian, Vasilisa and the Queen of Likes, Esau and Leaving Afghanistan.

Full filmography
Plot

Tsar Plot Summary

What happens in Tsar from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The film unfolds during the turbulent period between 1566 and 1569, marked by the Oprichnina and the Livonian War. The story begins with the death of the Russian Orthodox Metropolitan Afanasii, prompting Tsar Ivan IV to call upon his childhood acquaintance, Hegumen Philip Kolychev of Solovetsky Monastery, to take up the mantle of Metropolitan of Moscow. The narrative is structured into four distinct parts, each shedding light on the fraught dynamics between power, faith, and moral courage.

Full summary

The whole story of Tsar, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Tsar Box Office

Tsar grossed $5.5 million worldwide.

2009 box office

Worldwide gross

$5.5M

International
$5.5M
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Tsar?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Which Russian Tsar is the central figure of the film?
Details

Tsar Also Known As

8 alternative titles, including “Ivan Hrozný” and “Tzar”.

Also known as
  • Ivan Hrozný
  • Tzar
  • Cár
  • Ο Τσάρος
  • Czar
  • Цар
  • Car
  • 沙皇

Seen Tsar?
More like this

Movies Like Tsar

Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Ivan the Terrible, Part I, Tsar Ivan the Terrible and Ivan the Terrible, Part II: The Boyars’ Plot.

FAQ

Tsar FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, post-credit scenes and language of Tsar, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Tsar?

Tsar runs 1 hour 59 minutes (119 minutes).

When was Tsar released?

Tsar was released on May 17, 2009.

Who directed Tsar?

Tsar was directed by Pavel Lungin.

More films by Pavel Lungin

Who is in the cast of Tsar?

Tsar stars Дмитрий Сорокин, Sergey Garmash as дикторский текст, озвучка and Oleg Yankovskiy as метрополит Филипп, among 29 credited actors.

How much did Tsar make at the box office?

Tsar grossed $5.5 million worldwide.

Does Tsar have a post-credit scene?

No. Tsar has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is Tsar in?

The original language of Tsar is Russian.

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