What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Master and Margarita
Vladimir Bortko · Series · 2005
If you loved The Master and Margarita, start with The Master and Margarita (Mikhail Bulgakov, 2008) — a book from the same story. Below: 2 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Master and Margarita across media.
You were drawn to the way The Master and Margarita blends biting political satire with the surreal absurdity of supernatural intervention.
Start with the source
Books on the same thread
The Heart of a Dog
Mikhail Bulgakov · Book · 1996
Explores: Human Experimentation, Dehumanization, Social Commentary.
Much like the chaotic influence of Woland in The Master and Margarita, this story uses grotesque physical transformation to expose the underlying moral decay of a rigid Soviet society.
Dead Souls
Nikolaĭ Vasilʹevich Gogolʹ · Book · 1923
Explores: Bureaucracy, Corruption, Social Commentary.
If you appreciated the sharp critique of bureaucratic absurdity in The Master and Margarita, you will find this foundational work of Russian satire equally incisive and darkly comic.
Films on the same thread
Mirror
Andrei Tarkovsky · Film · 1975
Explores: Memory, Childhood, War and trauma.
This film captures the same haunting, dreamlike atmosphere found in The Master and Margarita, weaving personal memory and historical trauma into a dense, non-linear tapestry of the Russian experience.
Faust
F. W. Murnau · Film · 1926
Shares a thread with The Master and Margarita: Good vs Evil.
The Master and Margarita centers on the devil walking among us, and this classic film mirrors that preoccupation by exploring the eternal, Faustian struggle between divine and infernal forces.
Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession
Leonid Gaidai · Film · 1973
Shares a thread with The Master and Margarita: Bureaucracy Satire.
The Master and Margarita uses the supernatural to disrupt daily life, a comedic device echoed here as time travel forces a collision between modern bureaucracy and historical Russian figures.
The Godfather
Francis Ford Coppola · Film · 1972
Explores: Power, Family Loyalty, Corruption.
While different in genre, the complex power dynamics and moral ambiguity of the Corleone family will resonate with anyone captivated by the moral complexity of The Master and Margarita.
Podcasts on the same thread
Mahabharatam
Podcast
Shares a thread with The Master and Margarita: good vs evil.
This epic saga shares the grand, mythic scale and philosophical weight found in The Master and Margarita, exploring the heavy intersection of divine intervention and human duty throughout history.
Revolutions
Mike Duncan · Podcast · 2025
Explores: societal collapse, power dynamics, cyclical history.
The Master and Margarita is deeply rooted in the turmoil of its time, and this narrative history provides the same analytical depth regarding the cycles of political oppression.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Master and Margarita 2005 TV series based on the book?
Yes, the 2005 television production of The Master and Margarita is based on the novel written by Soviet writer Mikhail Bulgakov between 1928 and 1940. Vladimir Bortko directed this adaptation and served as its screenwriter for the Telekanal Rossiya series.
Who directed the 2005 adaptation of The Master and Margarita?
Vladimir Bortko directed the 2005 television adaptation of The Master and Margarita. He also wrote the screenplay for this production, which was produced by Telekanal Rossiya and based on the original novel by Mikhail Bulgakov.
Should I read the book if I enjoyed The Master and Margarita TV series?
If you enjoyed the 2005 television production of The Master and Margarita, you can read the source material in the 2008 edition of the book. The series is a direct adaptation of the novel written by Mikhail Bulgakov between 1928 and 1940.
Was The Master and Margarita 2005 production written by the original author?
No, the 2005 television adaptation of The Master and Margarita was written by director Vladimir Bortko. The original novel was written by Mikhail Bulgakov between 1928 and 1940, and Bortko used this source material to create the screenplay for the Telekanal Rossiya production.