Although a film about the Alexander Litvinenko case is unlikely to help Russian-British relations, which has been frosty ever since the incident, it’s a tale that’s so incredible it’s almost tailor-made for the movies. Now Deadline reports that actor Michael Fassbender and director Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) are in negotiations to join a movie about the Kremlin critic, called Londongrad, for Warner Bros.

The project is based on Alan Cowell’s book, Sasha’s Story: The Life and Death of a Russian Spy, which is about former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko (the role Fassbender will play if he signs on), who became a fierce critic of the Russian authorities and ended up living in exile in London. However he was poisoned with radioactive materials in 2006 and publicly accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of having him killed, just before his death.

David Scarpa wrote the adapted screenplay which Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes helmer Rupert Wyatt will direct from. Johnny Depp will produce through his Infinitum Nihil banner, along with Graham King.

General movie news courtesy of Movie Muser