Armando Iannucci, the soon-to-be ex-showrunner of HBO’s hit skein “Veep,” is set to write and direct “The Death of Stalin,” an adaptation of Fabien Nury’s graphic novel.

Nicolas Duval, Laurent Zeitoun and Yann Zenou, the team who produced “Heartbreaker” and “The Intouchables,” are producing the film via their Paris-based company Quad Films. The project marks their first English-language production.

Political satire “The Death of Stalin” opens in March 1953 during the Soviet dictator’s last days and depicts the chaos of the regime after his death.

“The Death of Stalin” seems the be the perfect material for Iannuci, who recently announced that he would be leaving “Veep” after four seasons as exec producer.

He also created British political satire TV series “The Thick of It,” helmed movie “In the Loop,” and has many other comedy credits under his belt, including several “Alan Partridge” films with Steve Coogan.

Shooting on “Stalin” will begin in 2016.

France’s Gaumont is coming on-board to finance and sell Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin. The project is produced by French powerhouse Quad Productions, who were behind the smash hit Intouchables. Stalin is a feature adaptation on Fabien-Nury’s acclaimed graphic novel that follows the Soviet dictator’s last days and depicts the chaos of the regime after his death in 1953 after 30 years of iron-fisted rule over the Soviet Union. The project will be one of the hot titles at Cannes.

Stalin’s death has been the subject of much conjecture- and conspiracy theory- over the years, with some asserting he was poisoned under the orders of KGB chief Lavrenty Beria to prevent the bellicose Stalin from plunging the country and world into World War 3. That Beria, who ranked only behind Stalin in terms of fearsome reputation, was himself executed months later under charges of being an agent for western intelligence agencies, has only added to the mystique surrounding that epochal moment in history.

Iannucci has written the screenplay with frequent collaborator David Schneider, with Ian Martin (In The Loop; Veep) also doing a polish. Quad’s Laurent Zeitoun, Yann Zenou and Nicolas Duval Adassovsky produce alongside Kevin Loader (The Lady in the Van). Gaumont’s international sales exec Cecile Gaget will oversee the project for the company.

Iannucci is repped by UTA and PBJ Management. The Death of Stalin is right in Veep creator’s wheelhouse , mixing politics with satire and black comedy. Production is set to commence in June.

Jeffrey Tambor, Steve Buscemi, Olga Kurylenko and Timothy Dalton are in advanced negotiations to star in Armando Iannucci’s ensemble political satire “The Death of Stalin,” which is being shopped by Gaumont at Cannes.

Toby Kebbel, Michael Palin, Simon Russel Beale, Paddy Considine and Andrea Riseborough complete the cast.

Adapted from the French graphic novel by Fabien Nury and Thierry Robin, and based on a true story, “The Death of Stalin” chronicles the chaotic days before Stalin’s funeral, marked by fierce infighting for the supreme power.

Tambor will star as Georgy Malenkov, Buscemi will play Nikita Khrushchev and Dalton will portray Georgy Zhukov.

The scathing comedy was penned by Iannucci and David Schneider, in collaboration with Ian Martin (“In the Loop,” “Veep”).

Nicolas Duval-Adassovsky, Laurent Zeitoun and Yann Zenou are producing for Quad Films and Main Journey (“The Intouchables,” “Ballerina”), in association with Gaumont.

The film will start shooting on June 20 for a Cannes 2017 delivery.

Iannucci, who is repped by UTA and PBJ Management, recently exited “Veep” after four seasons as exec producer. He notably created British political satire TV series “The Thick of It,” and directed “In the Loop” and the “Alan Partridge” films with Steve Coogan.

One of the hottest projects being sold at Cannes, “The Death of Stalin” has already pre-sold to Telemunchen/Concorde for German-speaking Europe and Madman for Australia.

Both deals have been negotiated by Cécile Gaget and Adeline Falampin on behalf of Gaumont.

Armando Iannucci’s The Death Of Stalin, a feature adaptation of Fabien-Nury’s acclaimed graphic novel that follows the Soviet dictator’s last days and depicts the chaos of the regime following his death in 1953 after 30 years of iron-fisted rule, has started production. Starring Adrian McLoughlin as Stalin, the film has added Rupert Friend, Jason Isaacs and Paul Whitehouse to the already announced cast featuring Jeffrey Tambor, Steve Buscemi, Olga Kurylenko, Michael Palin, Simon Russell Beale, Paddy Considine and Andrea Riseborough.

Gaumont is handling the French theatrical and video release, along with international sales. It has locked pre-sales with Concorde/Telemunchen in Germany, Madman in Australia, Odeon in Greece, Ascot Elite in Switzerland and Kinoswiat in Poland.

Stalin’s death has been the subject of conjecture and conspiracy theories over the years, with some asserting he was poisoned under the orders of KGB chief Lavrenty Beria to prevent the bellicose leader from plunging the country and world into World War III. That Beria, who ranked only behind Stalin in terms of fearsome reputation, was himself executed months later as an agent for Western intelligence agencies, has only added to the mystique surrounding that epochal moment in history.

Iannucci (HBO’s Veep) has written the screenplay with frequent collaborator David Schneider, with Ian Martin (In The Loop, Veep) also doing a polish. Quad’s Laurent Zeitoun, Yann Zenou and Nicolas Duval Adassovsky produce alongside Kevin Loader (The Lady In The Van). Gaumont’s international sales exec Cecile Gaget will oversee the project for the company.