espionage

In the past year alone, there have been seven British diplomats expelled from Russia, with Moscow accusing them of espionage - allegations denied by the UK.

Soderbergh and Blanchett had been planning to collaborate on a different film, but when that didn’t come to fruition, the director pivoted to screenwriter David Koepp’s wry, unconventional take on an espionage story.

In the past year alone, there have been seven British diplomats expelled from Russia with Moscow accusing them of espionage - allegations denied by the UK.

"This was espionage activity of the highest level of seriousness," prosecutor Alison Morgan KC told the jury at the Old Bailey.

He then recruited other Bulgarians to undertake espionage operations.