Miloš Biković is one of the most recognizable and versatile actors on the modern Russian screen. Audiences have seen him in a remarkably wide range of roles, from the historical drama ‘Sunstroke’ and comedy hits ‘The Peasant’ and ‘Hotel Eleon’ to the dramatic television series ‘Magomaev’. Biković’s guiding principle as an actor is constant movement and reinvention. He does not dream of playing one particular role; instead, he deliberately avoids repeating himself and looks for projects that are as different from one another as possible.
That is precisely why his latest choice has attracted particular attention. This autumn will see the release of the fantasy series The Secret City. Fantasy has traditionally been regarded as one of the most vulnerable genres in Russian cinema, with critics and audiences alike often agreeing that the industry has yet to master the art of creating it convincingly.
Although Biković has previously appeared in films featuring elements of fantasy, he openly acknowledges that the genre remains a genuine “weak spot” for the Russian film industry. Creating a successful fantasy project, he argues, is exceptionally difficult. It requires more than spectacular visuals: at its heart must be a compelling, well-written drama or comedy set within a carefully constructed fictional world. The biggest challenge lies in establishing the rules of that world and explaining them to the audience without overwhelming viewers with information or giving away the intrigue.
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“Usually, the rules are unclear, and nobody really knows how things work. One character can fly, another can throw fire from their eyes. Everyone has certain abilities, and there is a boundary between what they can and cannot do. That boundary can become blurred, and if a character can do everything, it stops being interesting. Even Superman, who can do almost anything, has certain limitations,” Biković explains.
So why did the actor decide to take the risk despite the genre’s reputation? Two factors appear to have played a decisive role: the project’s high production standards and its impressive ensemble cast.
Biković emphasizes that The Secret City promises to be a visually striking production backed by a team he considers trustworthy. “All the top stars you could possibly imagine are in it (…) Nobody knows what the final result will be, but we are doing our best,” the actor says.
The series is based on Vadim Panov’s popular series of fantasy novels about a hidden magical world existing alongside Moscow as we know it. The adaptation was written by a team of screenwriters — Alexander Talal, Marusya Trubnikova and Victoria Ostrovskaya — while directing duties were shared by Andrey Tumanov (Gypsy) and Nikolai Rybnikov (Hard Teenagers).
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The series has assembled a particularly impressive cast. Alongside Biković, viewers will see Diana Pozharskaya, Maria Andreeva, Evgeny Chebatkov, Pavel Chinaryov, Kirill Kyaro, Denis Shvedov, Ivan Dobronravov, Lolita Taborko, Alexandra Revenko, Petar Zekavica, Igor Vernik, Sergei Shakurov and many others.
Whether this star-studded team can challenge the long-standing perception of fantasy as a “weak genre” in Russian cinema remains to be seen. Audiences will not have to wait much longer for the answer.
Outside Hollywood, some of the most successful approaches to fantasy have emerged in Britain — the birthplace of the screen worlds of Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings — as well as in East Asia, particularly China and South Korea.
In Asia, fantasy, including such distinctive national traditions as xianxia and wuxia, is supported by centuries of literary heritage and a well-established screenwriting industry. This deep cultural foundation has helped filmmakers create magical worlds that feel coherent, organic and internally logical while remaining visually spectacular.
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